Vatican City, May 31, 2014 / 00:34 am
In response to media reports that Pope Francis and Patriarch Bartholomew I will meet for an ecumenical gathering in Nicea in 2025, the Vatican's spokesman said that such a meeting would be a positive encounter.
Father Federico Lombardi told CNA that a meeting between the two leaders "is a nice proposal from Bartholomew, just as his proposal for an encounter on the 50th anniversary meeting between Paul VI and Athenagoras I was."
Fr. Lombardi said that there are no further details at this time, but if Bartholemew I says the two have spoken about it, then "it's something they've just spoken about amongst themselves at this point."
"I wish good things for ecumenism," Fr. Lombardi added.
Such a meeting would mark the significance of the Council of Nicea of A.D. 325, where the first ecumenical council was held and the Nicene Creed was established.
Discussion about the upcoming meeting began after Pope Francis and Patriarch Bartholomew I met at the Holy Sepulchre during their visit to the Holy Land last week.
(Correction made June 2, 2014 at 9:35 MST. Article incorrectly stated that Nicea was the last council accepted by both churches.)
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