Leaders from around the world gathered at a historic site in northern Turkey on Friday to commemorate an event that shaped Christianity 1,700 years ago. Pope Francis XIV joined Eastern Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew I and other Christian leaders for a prayer service, marking the first time the two groups have come together since the Great Schism of 1054.
The gathering took place at the site of the Council of Nicaea, where Roman Emperor Constantine convened bishops from across the Roman Empire in 325 AD. The council produced the Nicene Creed, which is still recited by millions of Christians today and serves as a symbol of unity among believers.
Pope Francis XIV expressed his commitment to fostering greater understanding and cooperation between Catholics and Orthodox Christians. "The logic of littleness is the church's true strength," he said during a visit to Istanbul's Cathedral of the Holy Spirit, where Catholics number around 33,000 in a nation of 85 million Muslims.
Leaders from various Christian denominations participated in the prayer service at Lake Iznik, which commemorates the site where Constantine convened the council. The gathering was marked by a sense of unity and shared purpose among the diverse group of leaders.
However, not everyone was pleased with the event. A small group of Turkish Islamic activists staged a brief protest near the lake, denouncing what they saw as efforts to establish a "Vatican-like Greek Orthodox state" in Turkey. Despite the opposition, the gathering went ahead without incident and offered a moment of reflection on the importance of unity and cooperation among Christians.
The prayer service comes as part of Pope Francis XIV's first full-day visit to Istanbul, where he will also meet with Bartholomew I and other Christian leaders. The trip is seen as an important step in promoting greater understanding between Catholics and Orthodox Christians and will mark the end of his five-day tour of Turkey and the Middle East.
The gathering took place at the site of the Council of Nicaea, where Roman Emperor Constantine convened bishops from across the Roman Empire in 325 AD. The council produced the Nicene Creed, which is still recited by millions of Christians today and serves as a symbol of unity among believers.
Pope Francis XIV expressed his commitment to fostering greater understanding and cooperation between Catholics and Orthodox Christians. "The logic of littleness is the church's true strength," he said during a visit to Istanbul's Cathedral of the Holy Spirit, where Catholics number around 33,000 in a nation of 85 million Muslims.
Leaders from various Christian denominations participated in the prayer service at Lake Iznik, which commemorates the site where Constantine convened the council. The gathering was marked by a sense of unity and shared purpose among the diverse group of leaders.
However, not everyone was pleased with the event. A small group of Turkish Islamic activists staged a brief protest near the lake, denouncing what they saw as efforts to establish a "Vatican-like Greek Orthodox state" in Turkey. Despite the opposition, the gathering went ahead without incident and offered a moment of reflection on the importance of unity and cooperation among Christians.
The prayer service comes as part of Pope Francis XIV's first full-day visit to Istanbul, where he will also meet with Bartholomew I and other Christian leaders. The trip is seen as an important step in promoting greater understanding between Catholics and Orthodox Christians and will mark the end of his five-day tour of Turkey and the Middle East.
. I mean, 1,700 years of history and all, but for once, they're puttin' their differences aside and celebratin' what unites 'em 
. The whole thing just felt so... genuine 
. I'm a bit skeptical about the Vatican-like state comment tho 
, feels like some folks are just tryin' to stir up trouble 
. But overall, it's awesome to see people from different denominations comin' together and sharin' a moment of peace 
. It's like, we can all learn from each other, you know? 
. it's just a prayer service, but i guess some ppl are too sensitive and can't handle the idea of christian denominations putting aside their differences for once 
. and btw, what's with the protest from a small group of turkish activists? are they worried that the vatican is gonna start building churches in turkey overnight or something 
? anywayz, it's cool that pope francis and bartolomew I can finally have a sit-down convo without all the drama 
but seriously, its cool that pope francis is tryin to unite the catholic & orthodox churches. maybe one day we'll see a united christendom and we can all agree on who eats the most pizza 
btw, 33k catholics in turkey? thats like, what even is that? 
It's crazy to think about how something that happened 1700 years ago is still impacting people today. And I love how Pope Francis XIV is making an effort to bring Catholics and Orthodox Christians together – it's so important for unity and cooperation, especially in these divided times 
The fact that they all came together for a prayer service without any issues is just the best feeling 
. But what really gets me is how Pope Francis XIV talked about the church being its own strength, I feel like he's hitting at the heart of why we need more unity in our world 
. And honestly, it's a bit concerning that there were still people protesting outside, but I guess you can't please everyone 
pope francis 14 is literally a legend his words on littleness are so true we need more leaders like him 
. Can't say I blame anyone for feeling a little uneasy about this, though - we've seen how Turkish Islamic activists can get pretty salty when they feel like their 'hood is being disrespected 
.
What's up with these protests from Turkish Islamic activists? Like, can't they just chill and respect other people's faiths for once? 
The Vatican-like state comment is just a bunch of nonsense, imo. It's just Christians trying to come together and be peaceful. I mean, Constantine was all about reunifying the empire, not creating some new world order 
.
. Turkey's got a rich history & culture, and it's awesome to see them embracing their Christian heritage as well 
!!! I love seeing world leaders come together to celebrate our shared values and history! Pope Francis XIV is literally a symbol of unity and love, and I'm so grateful for his efforts to bring people together 
It's so inspiring to see these leaders putting aside their differences and coming together in love 
. I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm all for peaceful coexistence and respect for different faiths, but it feels like there's a power play going on here too.
. And honestly, I think there's more to this story than meets the eye 
. But those Turkish Islamic activists staging a protest... they just don't get it 
. We're all Christians here, we should be supporting each other, not fighting over silly stuff 
.
️. Not that I blame him, though. The guy's got heart 
.
the whole nicene creed thing is a big deal, and its awesome that its still used today 
️. the turkish govnt isnt getting involved tho, which is good, cuz thats always a drama 