Following the World Council of Churches' World Assembly in Karlsruhe, Germany in September 2022, I came into contact with the “Interparliamentary Assembly on Orthodoxy”, a large Orthodox movement bringing together Orthodox parliamentarians.
This movement is behind the “Pasqua Together 2025” (PT2025) initiative, to which JC2033 has been invited. This initiative also brings together the Focolare movement and the “Ensemble pour l'Europe” network of movements. At a meeting at the Orthodox Academy of Crete in December 2022, a declaration was issued.
On February 8, PT2025 organized an online seminar on the theme “From Nicaea, walking together towards unity. The beginning of a new beginning". I contributed a paper on the place of the Nicene Creed in the Protestant churches. The seminar was a success, with over 500 participants. This shows that questions concerning the foundations of the Christian faith are of interest to a wide audience!
The project takes shape in Jerusalem
From the outset, Father Frans Bouwen (a “White Father”), a major player in ecumenism in Jerusalem, has been involved in this initiative. For several years now, he has been organizing celebrations during the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. I met him, as well as Letizia De Torre, a member of the Focolare movement and the international committee of PT2025. The two have set up a working group to explore the various possibilities.
Patriarchs Theophilus (Greek Orthodox) and P. Pizzaballa (Latin Catholic) have expressed their support. For the moment, there are no concrete initiatives. This is due in particular to the uncertainty caused by the war in Gaza. But the emphasis is already on hope.
To involve a Protestant in this initiative, I introduced PT2025 to Lutheran pastor Sally Azar, one of the few women in ministry in the Middle East. She is active among the youth of her Lutheran church, and internationally has a responsibility at the World Council of Churches.
Please pray that Easter in Jerusalem in 2025 will be a powerful moment for all the churches! And please also pray for the road to 2033 in this city so dear to the hearts of all Christians (and to the Lord!).
May JC2033's modest contribution, with its annual Easter walk along the road to Emmaus, be well received! The next one will take place from April 18 to 25, and registration is now open.
By Martin Hoegger
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