Constantinople Delegation Visits Vatican for Feast of Saints Peter and Paul

Pope Leo greets Metropolitan Emmanuel of Chalcedon. Photo: Vatican Media

VATICAN CITY — On June 28, 2025, His Eminence Metropolitan Emmanuel of Chalcedon led a delegation from the Patriarchate of Constantinople to the Vatican for the occasion of the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul, to be celebrated June 29, 2025.

Both Metropolitan Emmanuel and Pope Leo XIV offered reflections on the meaning of the feast, and expressed their prayer for the “unity of the church” and future communion between East and West.

“This traditional exchange of delegations between the two Churches on the occasion of the respective feast of their Patron Saints is a sign of the profound communion already existing between us, and a reflection of the fraternal bond that united the Apostles Peter and Andrew,” Pope Leo said. 

Pope Leo mentioned the resumption of dialogue which took place in 1965 between Pope Paul VI and Patriarch Athenagoras, saying that their successors “have pursued with conviction the same path of reconciliation, thus further strengthening our close relations.”

It is worth noting that the lifting of the anathemas by the Patriarchate of Constantinople was not universally recognized by other autocephalous Orthodox churches at the time, nor is it to this day.

Saying that he looks back with gratitude on the progress that has been made, Pope Leo expressed his desire to persevere in the effort to restore “full visible communion” between East and West.

“For this reason, I am open to any suggestions that you may offer in this regard, always in consultation with my brother Bishops of the Catholic Church who, each in his own way, share with me the responsibility for the complete and visible unity of the Church,” he said.

He also asked that the delegation offer his greetings to His Holiness Patriarch Bartholomew and the members of the Holy Synod.

In his comments, Metropolitan Emmanuel said the Church of Constantinople is “beseeching the Almighty that (Pope Leo’s) papal ministry may be abundantly crowned with the divine gifts of profound peace and plentiful, life-giving fruit.”

The longing for peace, he said, is more intense due to the ongoing war in Ukraine, threats to safety of Christians in the Middle East, the devastating crisis in Gaza, the conflicts across Africa, and the appeal for protection of the historic St. Catherine’s Monastery at Mt. Sinai.

Mentioning that this year marks the 60th anniversary of lifting of the anathemas between the two churches, His Eminence pointed out various issues that have been addressed over the decades since, saying:

“As the Commission now diligently prepares to undertake the study of the addition of the Filioque to the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed and the continuing examination of papal primacy, we hold a well-founded and confident hope that the extensive theological reflection and the dedicated ecclesiological research of these recent decades will contribute decisively to discovering the common ground upon which these traditionally thorny and challenging issues may finally find their peaceful and harmonious resolution.”

Metropolitan Emmanuel said that the Church of Constantinople rejoices to know that Pope Leo will make a pilgrimage to the Phanar and to the ancient city of Nicaea, where there is expected to be a common commemoration of the First Ecumenical Council with Patriarch Bartholomew.

In closing, His Eminence encouraged fervent prayer for the joint celebration to become the cornerstone of efforts to celebrate Pascha together, saying:

“The happy coincidence of the celebration of Easter for East and West on the 20th of April this year has already rekindled a widespread public debate on this matter, and a great many of the faithful from both our Churches tasted that rare and beautiful simultaneity as a deeply welcome foretaste of the full, visible unity for which we so earnestly seek and pray.”

Previously, UOJ reported that Pope Leo had called for Christian unity rooted in Nicene faith.

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