From Nicaea, Pope Leo XIV calls on Christians to overcome divisions and reconcile – SyriacPress

NICAEA (IZNIK), Turkey — In the quiet Turkish town of Iznik, set 140 kilometers southeast of Istanbul and home to barely 15,000 residents, Pope Leo XIV, Supreme Pontiff of the Catholic Church, chose it as a key stop on his apostolic journey to Turkey and Lebanon. Iznik was chosen for its history: it is ancient Nicaea, the sacred city that hosted the First Ecumenical Council in 325 AD at the invitation of Emperor Constantine. That council sought to heal divisions within the Church, though its chief outcome was the formulation of the Nicene Creed, affirming that Jesus Christ is “begotten, not made,” and “of one substance with the Father.”
On the second day of the apostolic visit, the Pope celebrated a Divine Liturgy at the archaeological site of the ancient Church of Saint Neophytos along Lake Iznik. Around 27 church leaders took part, including Patriarch Bartholomew I, Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, whom the Pope thanked for his “great wisdom and foresight” in calling for Church leaders to celebrate this important anniversary together. He also expressed appreciation to the Heads of Churches including Syriac Catholic Patriarch Ignatius Joseph III Younan, Syriac Orthodox Patriarch Ignatius Aphrem II, and Chaldean Patriarch Cardinal Louis Raphaël Sako.
During the liturgy, Pope Leo XIV reflected on the Council of Nicaea, saying it still urges Christians today to ask: Who is Jesus Christ for us personally?. “This question is especially important for Christians,” he said, “who risk reducing Jesus Christ to a kind of charismatic leader or superman, a misrepresentation that ultimately leads to sadness and confusion.”
He challenged ideas contrary to Christian teaching—especially the doctrines affirmed at Nicaea—asking: “But if God did not become man, how can mortal creatures participate in His immortal life?” Pope Leo added, “What was at stake at Nicaea, and is at stake today, is our faith in the God who, in Jesus Christ, became like us to make us ‘partakers of the divine nature.” He emphasized that “The Symbol of Faith, as it is known, was of fundamental importance in the journey that Christians are making towards full communion.”
“Faith ‘in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten Son of God, born of the Father before all ages… consubstantial with the Father,” he said, “is a profound bond already uniting all Christians.”
He called on Christians to embrace this existing bond of unity, to remain “adherence to the Word of God revealed in Jesus Christ, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, in mutual love and dialogue.” He added, “Though we are many Christians, in the one Christ we are one.” The message was widely seen as a direct call for reconciliation among churches and leaders, especially in a world facing conflict and division.
“The desire for full communion among all believers in Jesus Christ is always accompanied by the search for fraternity among all human beings,” he said, calling for respect for the rights and dignity of all people, regardless of ethnicity, nationality, religion, or personal views.
He firmly rejected the use of religion to justify war, violence, or intolerance, insisting instead that religion must be a path to encounter, dialogue, and cooperation. 
The liturgy concluded with the participating church leaders praying the Nicene Creed together. 
The Pope’s schedule in Turkey includes a series of ecumenical events, including a joint declaration with Patriarch Bartholomew I on November 29 at the Patriarchal Palace and a meeting with Syriac Orthodox leaders in Istanbul.
Earlier on Friday, His Holiness met Turkey’s Chief Rabbi to discuss the visit as a gesture of peace and solidarity with all religious communities. On Saturday, November 29, he will visit the Sultan Ahmed Mosque before departing on Sunday, November 30, for the second leg of his apostolic journey: Lebanon. This will be the third papal visit in Lebanon’s history, following those of Pope John Paul II in 1997 and Pope Benedict XVI in 2012.
Lebanese officials and citizens hope the visit—named “Blessed Are the Peacemakers”—will reinforce stability, curb Israeli violations, and pressure Hezbollah to surrender its unlawful weapons.
Upon arriving at Beirut’s Rafic Hariri International Airport, His Holiness will be welcomed with official ceremonies before heading to the Presidential Palace and then to the Apostolic Nunciature. Monday’s schedule includes a visit to the Monastery of Saint Maron in Annaya, prayer at the tomb of Saint Charbel, a visit to Martyrs’ Square, an ecumenical gathering, and a meeting with bishops at the Harissa Basilica.
On Tuesday, he will visit the Monastery of the Cross in Bqennaya, then the Port of Beirut to pray for the victims of the August 4, 2020 explosion, concluding his journey with a final Mass on the Beirut waterfront.
HMOTH, Syria — In pursuit of closer engagement with religious and community entities, a …
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