Pope Leo XIV and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople sign a joint declaration at the Palace of the Ecumenical Orthodox Patriarchate in Istanbul, Turkey, on November 29, 2025. / Vatican Media
Istanbul, Turkey, Nov 29, 2025 / 10:07 am (CNA).
Pope Leo XIV and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople said on Saturday they are “deeply alarmed by the current international situation,” issuing a joint appeal for peace.
The appeal took place during the pope’s first international trip, a journey that has taken him to Turkey and will continue on to Lebanon.
The two leaders signed a joint declaration at the Palace of the Ecumenical Orthodox Patriarchate in Istanbul. The text rejects the use of religion to justify violence, urges global efforts toward peace, supports cooperation among believers of different faiths, and entrusts a suffering world to God with renewed hope in the Holy Spirit.
The pope and the patriarch, who is considered first among equals among Eastern Orthodox bishops, reaffirmed their shared commitment to dialogue aimed at restoring full communion between the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Churches. Calling Christian unity a gift from God, they encouraged clergy and faithful to pray and work for the fulfillment of Christ’s prayer “that they may all be one.”
Marking the 1700th anniversary of the First Council of Nicaea, they pointed to the Nicene Creed as a shared foundation of faith and expressed hope for a future common celebration of Easter. They recalled with gratitude the 60th anniversary of the lifting of mutual excommunications in 1965 by St. Paul VI and Ecumenical Patriarch Athenagoras I, and called for renewed courage in pursuing dialogue.
Acknowledging the obstacles that still hinder full communion, Leo and Bartholomew said they remain committed to addressing them through theological exchange and fraternal encounter.
In their declaration, they appealed to civil and political leaders to “do everything possible to ensure that the tragedy of war ceases immediately,” and asked all people of good will to join them in this plea. They encouraged efforts to build a just and supportive society and to care for creation, insisting that only such shared responsibility can overcome indifference, domination, greed, and xenophobia.
Earlier in the day, Pope Leo joined Patriarch Bartholomew for a Doxology, a liturgical prayer of praise to God, at Saint George’s Ecumenical Orthodox Patriarchal Church in Istanbul. The pope said he felt “great emotion” upon entering the historic church, noting that he was mindful of the gestures of his predecessors and grateful for the friendship he has shared with Bartholomew since the beginning of his ministry as bishop of Rome.
The Ecumenical Patriarchate, based in Istanbul, is recognized as the central coordinating seat of the Orthodox Church. Patriarch Bartholomew I, widely known for his leadership in ecumenical dialogue and environmental advocacy, is considered the 270th successor of St. Andrew.
On Saturday morning, the pope also met privately with leaders of Christian Churches in Turkey at the Syriac Orthodox Church of Mor Ephrem in Istanbul, where he was welcomed by the Syriac Orthodox Patriarch Ignatius Aphrem II. Concluding the meeting, he reflected on the significance of the Council of Nicaea and the Gospel of the Incarnation, calling the assembled leaders to prayer, unity, and renewed evangelization. He invited them to journey together toward the 2033 Jubilee with the hope of advancing toward full communion, inspired by the motto In Illo Uno Unum (“Unity in the One”).
Mor Ephrem, located in Yeşilköy, is the first church to be built in Turkey since the founding of the Republic. Construction began nearly a decade before its inauguration in 2023, but was slowed by administrative delays, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the 2023 earthquake.
During the gathering, a choir sang an invocation to the Holy Spirit before the leaders sat together at a round table for a closed-door exchange. Each offered brief remarks, followed by the pope’s address. The Patriarchal Vicar led the Lord’s Prayer before the pope’s departure.
The Syriac Orthodox Church, headquartered in Damascus, Syria, numbers around two million faithful worldwide, and its patriarch plays an important role in ecumenical relations.
