The day began with our participation in the Orthodox liturgy for the feast of the “Exaltation of the Holy Cross”. Sounds, lights, perfumes, songs...the charm of Orthodox prayer expanded our hearts for over two and a half hours!
Then we climbed the steep stairs to the Patriarchate, in the Phanar, for an audience with Patriarch Bartholomew.
May the fire of faith be rekindled in Europe!
Gerhard Pross, moderator of “Together for Europe”, presented the “Easter together 2025” initiative to the patriarch:
“In our desire for faith to be the foundation of Europe, we believe that the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicea would be an excellent opportunity to focus on Christian unity, as the Nicene Creed is our common confession of faith. That's why we want to support everything you're doing so that a new fire is kindled and we can bear witness to the Risen Lord on a large scale”, he said.
As for the date of Easter, this initiative also wants to get involved. Next year, it will be common. “But the question is: can't we find a way to celebrate it together? We'll support you if you take initiatives in this direction,” he added.
On behalf of “Easter Together 2025”, I then presented the Patriarch with a booklet containing the contributions from the online seminar held last February from Nicaea, walking together towards unity, the start of a new beginning.
A meeting with Pope Francis is planned for Nicaea in 2025
In his reply, Patriarch Bartholomew announced that a joint commission made up of four Orthodox and four Roman Catholic members would be working on the program for the commemoration of the common Easter and the celebration of the 1700th anniversary of the first ecumenical council. The commission has already visited Iznick - the Turkish name for Nicaea - and examined the conditions. The mayor of Nicaea is very positive and ready to collaborate with the committee.
An invitation to Pope Francis has also been extended. According to Patriarch Bartholomew's recollections, this will be their 13th meeting. He also stressed that the date of Easter is not a question of dogma or faith, but of astronomical calculation.
The “Easter together 2025” delegation around Patriarch Bartholomew at the Phanar.
Let's pray and work for unity in 2033!
Together with Olivier Fleury, we briefly assured the Patriarch of our support and prayer as we move towards 2033, bearing witness to the Risen Christ in unity.
For us 2025 is indeed an important step towards 2033. When we told him that our dream was, that in 2033 all the churches would be able to celebrate Easter together, he gave us a big smile and said: “Yes, let's work and pray for that to happen”.
I found the atmosphere of this meeting beautiful and joyful. The Patriarch seemed happy to be supported in his ministry by our movements.
The Bible Society's projects
I'd like to mention two more meetings during my brief stay in Istanbul. The first was with the General Secretary of the Turkish Bible Society, Tamar Karasu Mayoglu, who is well aware of the stakes involved in Nicaea 2025. She has even energetically committed herself to its commemoration, convincing the various churches to get involved in two projects.
The first is a conference on the importance of the Council of Nicaea, a little-known fact in Turkey. There is also some interest among students of Islamic faculties who want to know what its Creed means for the various Churches.
The second project is a concert in which the churches will sing the Creed according to their own traditions.
With Tamar Karasu Mayoglu, Director of the Turkish Bible Society
To the Focolare Community
The second meeting took place the day after the visit to the Patriarch, in the same neighborhood as the Bible Society, the very popular Istiklal Street. I went to the Focolare community, one of the partners of “Easter Together 2025”, without Olivier, who left early in the morning for Singapore to take part in another conference!
The members of the “Focolare” - as their community is called - told me a little about life in this huge Istanbul megalopolis of over 18 million inhabitants. The focolare are all involved in teaching and have developed relationships with various churches, as well as with Muslim groups.
The focolare are delighted with the feedback I can give them from the meeting with the Patriarch, as they will be taking part in several initiatives during the year. One of the “focolarines” is Syro-Catholic, from the Turkish town of Mardin, a historic cradle of this Church that dates back to the apostles.
With part of the Istanbul Focolare community
The meeting was very fraternal. It was a grace to be connected with this movement with broad horizons with which JC2033 has collaborated many times. After the traditional photo that marks the end of the meeting, these new friends all encouraged me to return to this city so rich in history and teeming with life. They hope it will be before 2033. And why not in Nicée, a hundred kilometers away, in 2025!
Martin Hoegger
