Orthodox Patriarch of Constantinople marks 1700th anniversary of Christianity's first ecumenical council

2025-06-01 17:35:00, Kulturë CNA

Orthodox Patriarch of Constantinople marks 1700th anniversary of

One of the world's legacies is the Nicene Creed, a confession of faith still recited by Christians of all major faiths. Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I led a liturgy in Istanbul on Sunday, marking the 1,700th anniversary of Christianity's first ecumenical council.

The First Council of Nicaea (located in present-day Turkey, in the city of Iznik) took place in 325 AD and the date remains significant for Orthodox-Catholic relations. It saw Roman Emperor Constantine I convene around 300 bishops, according to the Catholic Almanac.

Among the results was the Nicene Creed, a confession of faith still recited by Christians today and required of those undertaking important functions within the Orthodox Churches, as well as the Catholic and Lutheran Churches.

As Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, Bartholomew I is "primus inter pares" (first among equals) among the patriarchs of the Eastern Orthodox Church and is its spiritual leader.

Bartholomew, who is known for his ecumenical, as well as humanitarian and ecological efforts, met with Pope Leo XIV earlier this week for the first time. /CNA