[Episcopal News Service] Members of St. Raphael’s Episcopal Church in Fort Myers Beach, Florida, were thrilled when they finally were able to celebrate St. Raphael’s Day in their nave in late October. The church had finished rebuilding more than three years after Hurricane Ian, a strong Category 4 storm, hit just north of the town that is located on Estero Island, a 1.5-mile-wide barrier island off the west coast of Florida, on Sept. 28, 2022. Like three other Episcopal churches in low-lying areas across the Episcopal Diocese of Southwest Florida, St. Raphael’s was forced out of its building entirely by Ian. While wind did some damage, the real culprit was the water surge coming from the Gulf of Mexico, the Rev. Michael Rowe, told Episcopal News Service. The building’s walls were left standing, but the interior was flooded and had to be completely gutted. Many other buildings on the island, including homes, hotels and businesses, suffered the same kind of damage. The older the structure, the more damage it had, Rowe said, since current hurricane remediation efforts like strong seals around doors and windows weren’t in place. In the aftermath of the hurricane, St. Raphael’s congregation first met for worship in a hotel, then outdoors. Once the parish hall was structurally sound, they worshiped there on Sundays, without plumbing or electricity, while contractors worked in the space on weekdays. Rowe said members decided to start repair work on the parish hall first, rather than the church nave, so it could be used by others in the community who relied on the space for events, like the regular meeting of the town’s Lions Club, as well as St. Raphael’s popular shrimp dinners served several times during the year. The parish hall and kitchen were fully restored this summer. At the same time, the Parrish-based diocese was figuring out how to reallocate its resources to help meet the needs of its congregations, Bishop Douglas Scharf told ENS. He had been consecrated as bishop coadjutor just four days before Ian hit the diocese, when he, then-Bishop Dabney Smith, and diocesan staff started working to help churches find other places to meet and ways to begin repairing their buildings, while also providing pastoral care to clergy. Damage from Ian prompted 24 churches to apply for aid from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA, according to information provided to ENS. The diocese paid consultants to help church leaders fill out those claims applications, and decided to cover the insurance deductibles for affected churches and to waive their diocesan apportionment payments. That support was a way for the diocese to provide a cushion to affected parishes, Scharf said, and free up money for needs beyond rebuilding. “These are resources that can go back into your local community and its needs,” he said. Both Scharf and Rowe said storm recovery was especially difficult in places where so many had suffered severe damage, including parishioners, clergy and the businesses that churches normally would rely on for rebuilding help. St. Raphael’s is one of the 45 churches in the diocese – out of a total of 75 congregations – that suffered damage either from Hurricane Ian or the two major hurricanes that struck the area two weeks apart in the fall of 2024 – Helene on Sept. 26 and Milton on Oct. 9. One church, Annunciation in Holmes Beach, was displaced by Helene and then suffered further damage from Milton, according to information from the diocese. Four churches that were damaged by Ian in 2022 filed FEMA claims again in 2024, stemming from either Helene or Milton. In all, seven churches were displaced from their buildings because of hurricane damage over the span of 25 months. A total of 43 churches applied for FEMA aid. Milton also damaged the diocese’s Dayspring Camp and Conference Center in Parrish, as well as the Diocesan House, forcing staff out of their offices for four months. Scharf, who grew up in the diocese, called the impact of three major hurricanes on local Episcopal congregations “unique and unprecedented” in scale. He said that Hurricane Charley in 2004 damaged three or four churches, and Hurricane Irma did about the same amount of damage in 2017. But what happened across the diocese in 2022 and 2024 was vastly different. Another church badly damaged by Ian, St. Michael and All Angels in Sanibel, also made repairs to its parish hall a priority over its worship space to better serve its neighbors, Scharf said, just as St. Raphael’s had. St. Michael’s returned to its regular worship space for Christmas 2023. To provide hurricane-affected churches with more resources to both rebuild and help serve their neighbors, the diocese waived their apportionment payments in 2022 and again in 2024. That saved churches about $400,000, but it also meant lost income for the diocese. More than $800,000 in donations came into the diocesan office, as well as $350,000 in grants from Episcopal Relief & Development to help people around the diocese. Scharf called working with the agency “a really, really transformational partnership.” All of that money, and more, was used to help parishioners and others across the area, The diocese twice asked for, and received, waivers of a part of its assessment paid to The Episcopal Church because of its high hurricane-related expenses. In 2023, Executive Council granted $100,000 in relief, and it provided a waiver of $150,000 in 2025. Over the three years it took for St. Raphael’s to get back into its worship space – the last storm-damaged church in the diocese to do so – Rowe has seen a change in who calls the area home. For decades, it had been filled with people who lived there seasonally or were primarily working-class, full-time residents in smaller homes along the beach. But Ian damaged some properties beyond restoration, and others were swept away entirely in the tidal surge, further reducing the number of homes available. New structures must

[Canterbury Cathedral] On Dec. 2, a centuries-old ceremony at Canterbury Cathedral formally elected the 106th archbishop of Canterbury. As part of the official process leading up to the installation of London Bishop Sarah Mullally as archbishop of Canterbury, King Charles had issued a license, known as a Congé d’Elire, that allowed the College of Canons of Canterbury Cathedral to elect an archbishop of the see of Canterbury. The king also had recommended, by letters missive, that Mullally be elected archbishop of Canterbury. On Nov. 25, Canterbury dean the Very Rev. David Monteith had called the College of Canons to meet in the cathedral’s medieval Chapter House to elect the new archbishop. The College of Canons is comprised of the cathedral’s residentiary, honorary and provincial canons, and the suffragan bishops and archdeacons of the Diocese of Canterbury. In attendance were several legal officers and invited observers. Mullally was not present. Following the election, the College of Canons issued a certificate – stamped with the cathedral’s seal – to the king, recording the decision of the college. Public declarations are also displayed at the cathedral, including in the ornately-carved archbishop’s cathedra stall within the church. Letters Patent now will be issued in the king’s name, requiring arrangements to be made for the election to be legally confirmed and to bring the appointment into effect. After the election, Mullally now will be known as the archbishop of Canterbury-elect, although she will remain the bishop of London until the confirmation of her election at St. Paul’s Cathedral on Jan. 28, 2026. At that time she officially will become the archbishop of Canterbury. Her installation, which marks the start of her ministry as archbishop, will take place at Canterbury Cathedral on March 25, 2026. More information about the historic role of Canterbury Cathedral in electing the archbishop of Canterbury is available here.

[Episcopal News Service] The student body at the University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee, is religiously diverse, with Episcopalians making up about 20%, but the Episcopal institution holds on to its Anglican identity through its campus traditions, including its popular annual Lessons and Carols services during Advent. “I think it’s really beautiful that people from all different walks of life can come to Lessons and Carols and, whether they’re religious or not, can feel peace and grounded-ness in the holiday season,” Hattie Robbins, a senior English and environmental sciences student from Chicago, Illinois, told Episcopal News Service. She serves as vice president of Sewanee’s 70-member University Choir. At least 3,000 students, faculty, staff and community members are expected to attend Sewanee’s in-person three Lessons and Carols services, which will take place at 4 and 7 p.m. CT on Dec. 6 and at 4 p.m. CT on Dec. 7. About 60 members of the University Choir will sing. Click here to watch a livestream of a Lessons and Carols service at Sewanee. Lessons and Carols — also known as Nine Lessons and Carols, the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols, and the Service of Nine Lessons and Carols — is an Anglican worship service traditionally celebrated on or around Christmas Eve. During Lessons and Carols, nine stories from Scripture, including the promise of the Messiah and the birth of Jesus, are read aloud. The service usually includes singing Christmas carols, hymns and choir anthems. There are two very similar, yet different, services: Advent and Christmas. The prayers have slight wording changes; some of the readings are different; and the concluding prayer must be a collect particular to Advent or Christmas. Bishop Edward White Benson, who would become archbishop of Canterbury, created the first service of nine alternating Scripture readings and carols for use in the wooden shed serving as his cathedral in Truro, England, for Christmas Eve 1880. The service was based on a medieval vigil service. Other churches adapted the format, and King’s College, Cambridge, began holding its Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols in 1918. Sewanee’s Lessons and Carols tradition began in 1960. “For me, Lessons and Carols is about listening for the still voice of God through the reading of the Scriptures, through the music and the liturgical movement of the service that has always spoken,” the Very Rev. Christopher “Chris” Epperson, dean of All Saints’ Chapel, told ENS. “It’s quiet, it’s still and it’s a moment to gather yourself as you prepare for the bedlam of Christmas.” The hectic Christmas season holds extra meaning in a college setting, as students and professors are busy with final exams and graduation ceremonies in December before the fall semester concludes. Amid the end-of-semester commotions, however, many Sewanee students and professors still take time to attend a Lessons and Carols service. “As a student, I have a crazy busy schedule and choir practice three times a week preparing for Lessons and Carols, but even though rehearsals can be kind of a blur at times, they’re honestly some of the most peaceful moments I have at school,” said Robbins, a lifelong Episcopalian whose home parish is the Church of the Holy Spirit in Lake Forest, Illinois. “As we light our candles and get in line as the service is about to start, an immense calm comes over all of us, and it’s so wonderful and amazing.” Blake Burgiss, a sophomore neuroscience major from Raleigh, North Carolina, told ENS he feels the same, and though he is a Missouri Synod Lutheran, participating in the traditional Anglican services as a chorist has strengthened his faith. “Lessons and Carols has brought me closer to the Lord through music,” said Burgiss, who leads the University Choir’s tenor section. “These services have helped me see the teachings in this new light, because the music does this great job of explaining the lessons. … The emphasis that music can have on worship can further our understanding of what we know of Scripture.” Burgiss said he would encourage his home parish and other non-Anglican churches to begin a Lessons and Carols tradition. “I think it’s a beautiful opportunity for any church to bring the community together and to allow the Lord to be seen in the community in that context,” he said. For Geoffrey Harris Ward, Sewanee’s organist and choirmaster, the “ebb and flow” of reading from Scripture between singing the choral anthems and hymns enhances the learning experience. Beginning the services in silence and darkness and with the choir processing from the back to the front of the chapel, holding lit candles singing a cappella, also sets the tone for both the audience and the musicians. “It’s embracing the feel of the season of Advent and waiting for the Lord, whose day is near. It’s significant,” Ward told ENS. “We have students in the choir who are certainly questioning their faith identity, but traditions like Lessons and Carols are planting seeds for everyone not just to enjoy and appreciate the worship experience in the moment, but also so that they continue the process of growth in terms of not only their academics and musical ability, but also their faith.” -Shireen Korkzan is a reporter and assistant editor for Episcopal News Service. She can be reached at skorkzan@episcopalchurch.org.

[Episcopal News Service] The Seminary of the Southwest announced on Dec. 2 that it had named the Rt. Rev. Diane M. Jardine Bruce as interim dean and president, effective Jan. 2, 2026. Bruce was bishop suffragan in the Diocese of Los Angeles from 2010 to 2021, and from there she served as bishop provisional in the Diocese of West Missouri until earlier this year. She currently serves on the Executive Council of The Episcopal Church, where she is chair of the Joint Budget Committee and vice chair of the Joint Standing Committee on Finance. “Bishop Bruce takes a relational approach to her work of oversight, deepening trust through listening and partnering with other leaders,” Texas Bishop Suffragan Kathryn M. Ryan, chair of the Southwest Board of Trustees, said in the announcement. “She understands the role of an interim to strengthen the institution during a time of transition and will be a thoughtful and wise support and guide for our whole community. Her financial expertise and gifts as a seasoned leader in multicultural ministry make her well-suited to lead Seminary of the Southwest in this season.” Bruce said of her appointment, “I am thrilled to join the students, staff and faculty at Seminary of the Southwest and to walk with them and the board through this time of transition. I have long admired the work and direction of this fine and forward-thinking institution and am excited to be a part of it.” The seminary has been without a dean and president since Sept. 4, when the board terminated Scott Bader-Saye after he admitted to developing an inappropriate relationship with an employee he had supervised. He had been in that role since January. The news release also said the seminary has hired the Isaacson Miller firm to assist with the search for its next dean and president. It noted that Ernest Brooks III, the primary consultant for the seminary’s search, recently has worked with the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York City on its dean’s search and is currently engaged with Berkley Divinity School at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, on a search for its next dean.

[Episcopal News Service] Advent has arrived at St. Philip’s Episcopal Church in Brevard, North Carolina, and the seasonal altar furnishings aren’t the only telltale signs. For three days this week, Dec. 4-6, the congregation will place tables across the pews to create makeshift displays for an exhibit of nearly 200 nativities from around the world. The annual event, open to the community, is called “No Room at the Inn,” and it has become a beloved, festive ritual for this Western North Carolina church. The parishioners provide a diverse assortment of nativities accompanied by cards detailing their origins and distinctive features. “It’s just a lovely way to open the doors to the community and say, ‘Hey, come and see,’” Dolores Brown, one of the event’s organizers, told Episcopal News Service. Nativities — miniature scenes of the Holy Family at the manger, surrounded by the first Christmas visitors — are one of Advent’s most recognizable seasonal displays in Christian churches and households worldwide. A thriving consumer market also exists for nativities reflecting global cultures, from Canada to Cameroon. St. Philip’s is one of numerous Episcopal churches showcasing some of that Christian diversity as part of their Advent festivities. St. James Episcopal Church in Manitowoc, Wisconsin, invites its community to such an exhibit Dec. 5-7 that it calls the “Wonder of Christmas.” In Ayer, Massachusetts, St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church will host its annual “In a Manger” event, which began in 2001 with 75 nativities. For this year’s event at St. Andrew’s, Dec. 13 and 14, more than 400 will be on display, “each one showing the birth of Jesus through the lens of a different culture, craft tradition and artistic imagination.” In Topeka, Kansas, Episcopal congregations are among the 30 local churches participating in the 14th annual “Nativities and Noel” event Dec. 5 and 6 hosted by the Topeka Stake Center of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The nearly 900 nativities to be displayed come from about 100 different countries. Washington National Cathedral, the landmark Episcopal cathedral in the United States’ capital city, also has incorporated a nativity exhibit into its annual Advent and Christmas festivities. “One Church, One Family” features 800 manger scenes from the cathedral’s collection and runs through Jan. 18. Most of the nativities come from cathedral member Beulah Sommer’s personal collection, which she donated to the cathedral in 1998. “The story of the Holy Family, told in different cultures using various media and material, has the power to unite the human family amidst war, conflict and political division,” the cathedral says on its website. “Their story is our story, and their hope is our hope.” This is the fourth year that St. Philip’s is hosting “No Room at the Inn.” The event drew about 700 visitors last year, Brown said, and she is looking forward to welcoming visitors again this week, with nativities originating from Alaska to Portugal to Japan. Brown is contributing from her own growing collection of manger scenes. During a recent trip to Italy, she couldn’t resist shopping for examples of that country’s nativity sets. Other parishioners are donating their time to provide music in the church while visitors inspect the nativities on display. The congregation also collects donations for Episcopal Relief & Development, and like last year, this year’s donations will be specified to support ongoing relief efforts in the region after Hurricane Helene. The event often attracts community members who have never set foot inside St. Philip’s before, Brown said, creating some “delightful” new connections. “We’ve all discovered that doing this early Advent, it just sets the tone for the season,” she said. “It’s just been the most positive and lovely thing.” – David Paulsen is a senior reporter and editor for Episcopal News Service based in Wisconsin. He can be reached at dpaulsen@episcopalchurch.org.

[Anglican Diocese of Melbourne] The Diocese of Melbourne’s new archbishop was installed on Nov. 30, beginning a new season for the church and diocese. Archbishop Ric Thorpe became Melbourne’s 14th leader on Advent Sunday, succeeding the Most Rev. Philip Freier, who retired in February after 18 years of service. Elected as archbishop in May, Thorpe is regarded as one of the Anglican Church’s leading figures in church planting and revitalization. He told the 1,400 people assembled at St. Paul’s Cathedral and the thousands more viewing the installation online that he was committed to being the witness to the Resurrection they’d wanted in their new archbishop. “Let me state it plainly. I will proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ, crucified and risen, as long as God gives me breath,” Thorpe said in his homily. “There is much work to do in every part of the diocese,” he continued. “We can do this work because we are empowered by Christ.” The first English archbishop to be installed since the Most Rev. Frank Woods, who retired in 1977 and died in 1992, Thorpe summarized the priorities for the diocese: prayer, mission, church planting, developing leaders and schools. Read the entire story about the installation service here.

[Anglican Church of Canada] On Dec. 1, the Anglican Church of Canada issued a statement denouncing Christian nationalism and calling it “a distortion of the gospel of Jesus and a threat to Canadian democracy.” The full text of the statement follows. The Anglican Church of Canada believes that everyone is created in God’s image and that all members of society have an equal right to participate meaningfully in the public square at all levels. We have been enriched, as a church, by our relationships with other Christian denominations, along with the great variety of religious traditions that are found across our communities. Canada’s longstanding commitment to religious pluralism has enabled members of many faith communities and those with no faith commitment to live in civic harmony with one another without sacrificing their respective theological convictions. A growing threat to this principle of pluralism and inclusion is the ideology of Christian nationalism, which seeks to merge Christian and Canadian identities, conflating them and distorting both Christian faith and Canada’s parliamentary democracy. Christian nationalism demands that Christianity be privileged by the state and implies that to be a good Canadian, one must be Christian. This ideology can provide cover for discrimination against marginalized groups and can increase threats and violence against religious communities at home and abroad. In that light, we denounce Christian nationalism as a distortion of the gospel of Jesus and a threat to Canadian democracy. In our Baptismal Covenant, we promise to seek and serve Christ in all persons, to love our neighbors as ourselves, to strive for justice and peace among all people, to respect the dignity of every human being, and to strive to safeguard the integrity of God’s creation, and respect, sustain and renew the life of the Earth. These commitments lead us to call for the full inclusion and welcome of diverse voices engaging constructively in public debate, building connections across differences and celebrating the contributions of many communities to our collective wellbeing.

[Episcopal News Service] After 12 days of calling for centering environmental advocacy and justice around Indigenous voices at the 30th United Nations climate conference, or COP30, in Bélem, Brazil, church leaders are reflecting on what they learned and how Episcopalians can work to address climate change. Several Episcopal and Anglican leadership who traveled to Brazil last month for COP30 spoke about the experience in a Dec. 1 church webinar.  Despite the geographical differences of COP30 participants, “one of the things I noticed that is both sad and hopeful is that, like in all of the panels, the story [of Indigenous people worldwide] is so much the same,” the Rev. Isaiah “Shaneequa” Brokenleg, The Episcopal Church’s interim Indigenous Ministries missioner, said during the webinar. At the U.N. conference, Indigenous leaders representing different tribes worldwide shared how they have engaged in tribal sovereignty initiatives to protect lands and local food supplies. For example, Brokenleg said, some Māori people from New Zealand shared their efforts to regulate jade mining to prevent further land destruction. Brokenleg, who is Lakota, represented Episcopal Church Presiding Bishop Sean Rowe at COP30 in the church’s 11th consecutive year participating in the conference. Brokenleg’s participation at the Nov. 10-21 climate conference supported an Anglican Communion delegation led by Archbishop of Brazil Marinez Santos Bassoto, who also serves as Anglican bishop of the Amazon, where the world’s largest rainforest is located. During COP30, world leaders, policymakers, climate scientists, activists, corporate executives and faith representatives addressed multiple issues related to climate change and environmentalism, including waste management and agriculture. This was the first year the United States didn’t formally send representatives to the conference, though California Gov. Gavin Newsom led an alternate delegation of more than 100 U.S. lawmakers. Faith representatives participated in an ecumenical march and vigil for the Earth and a worship service at the Catedral Santa Maria. Brokenleg described the service as “beautiful.” Martha Jarvis, the Anglican Communion’s U.N. representative, explained during the webinar the “Lungs of the Earth” initiative, which describes how Anglicans can be involved in working to restore and protect three vital ecosystems: forests, oceans and frozen landscapes. This includes participation in reforestation initiatives like the Communion Forest, and also amplifies environmental and advocacy work from Anglican provinces around the world and celebrates the work of Anglican environmental activists, including Green Anglicans and the Anglican Communion Environmental Network. “This focus on being in the Amazon, the importance of the COP being right at the center of one of the ‘lungs of the earth,’ made it into many political declarations, many written statements …  This focus was one of the things that was recognized quite consistently in the political declarations,” Jarvis said. More than 90 countries supported a deforestation roadmap, but the measure failed to reach a final agreement. Last year, 8.1 million hectares of forest were lost globally, according to data from the Forest Declaration Assessment 2025, which was published in October. COP30 did, however, result in some victories. For example, several countries pledged $7 billion for the Tropical Forests Forever Facility, a multilateral fund to help developing countries preserve their tropical forests. “There is so much work that is left to do, and hopefully the spirit has touched each of us with our particular charge and call for action in our particular dimensions,” Lynnaia Main, The Episcopal Church’s U.N. representative, said during the webinar. “It takes all of us together.” At 8 p.m. Eastern tonight, The Episcopal Church and the Green Caucus will host its monthly creation care Compline via Zoom. Click here to register.  Episcopalians can learn more about the church’s commitment to addressing the global climate crisis on its website. -Shireen Korkzan is a reporter and assistant editor for Episcopal News Service. She can be reached at skorkzan@episcopalchurch.org.

[Church of England] The Church of England on Nov. 30 launched its biggest-ever Christmas campaign – The Joy of Christmas – inviting people everywhere to rediscover the hope and joy at the heart of the season. Running throughout Advent and Christmas, the campaign offers a large range of free resources for families, schools and churches, helping people pause, reflect and celebrate wherever they are. For the first time in its history, the Church of England has produced a fully illustrated children’s picture book as part of its Advent and Christmas campaign. “The Grumpy Owl and the Joy of Christmas,” written by Jonathan Maltz and Christopher Poch and brought to life with new artwork by award-winning illustrator Jago, offers a heart-warming retelling of the Nativity story through the eyes of a rather grumpy owl who learns the true meaning of joy. This illustrated edition invites children and families to rediscover the wonder of the first Christmas in a way that is engaging, accessible and fun. It marks a milestone for the Church of England, as its first dedicated children’s picture book produced specifically for the Advent and Christmas season. The campaign also includes new reflections, such as “Twelve Joys of Christmas,” written by Salisbury Cathedral Dean Nicholas Papadopulos, exploring the meaning of joy in everyday traditions, and “O Come Emmanuel,” a series of Advent meditations based on the ancient “O Antiphons,” accompanied by newly commissioned artwork and music. There are resources for every age group: children can enjoy free cartoons, songs and Bible stories, while families have access to activity sheets and coloring pages to use at home. Young people can download daily reflections or join in youth group sessions designed to explore the meaning of Advent together. Adults can sign up for bite-sized daily emails, reflections on the Everyday Faith app, and an audio series from writer and theologian Paula Gooder, “Women of Advent and Christmas.” Schools will have access to four weeks of collective worship resources packed with prayers, videos and creative activities to help pupils discover the joy of Christmas. Commenting on the launch of the resources, Stockport Bishop Sam Corley said, “There’s a lot of talk – and quite a bit of singing – about joy at Christmas. But what does that mean when life feels overwhelming? If you feel like joining the grumpy owl in our story and shutting yourself away, then the message of Christmas is for you. It’s a reminder that joy is not a command to obey or another task to tick off, nor is it hidden in perfection or possessions. It is a gift – freely given by the God who never hides or closes the door to us.” He added, “At the heart of Christmas is the good news that God comes into the world, opening doors and giving us confidence to walk with him into the future he makes possible.”

[Religion News Service – Istanbul, Turkey] Pope Leo XIV and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople met at the patriarchal seat in the ancient Phanar quarter Nov. 29 to sign a joint declaration affirming their commitment to achieving communion between the two churches. On the anniversary of the first Council of Nicaea, the two Christian leaders pledged to unify their churches while warning world leaders to halt the spread of war. “We continue to walk with firm determination on the path of dialogue, in love and truth, towards the hoped-for restoration of full communion between our sister Churches,” the declaration read. While seeking theological rapprochement, the two Christian leaders charted a parallel path to unity through practical peacemaking and environmental work. The statement also recognized personal relationships, prayer and “joint work in all those areas where cooperation is already possible” as ways to advance mutual understanding. The joint declaration made an impassioned appeal for peace, urging world leaders “to do everything possible to ensure that the tragedy of war ceases immediately,” and encouraged faithful to “reject any use of religion and the name of God to justify violence.” Interreligious dialogue, the two church leaders agreed, is an essential path toward unity and tolerance. “While we are deeply alarmed by the current international situation, we do not lose hope,” the document read, recalling the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea, when early Christian bishops laid down the foundations of the Christian faith in the Nicene Creed. On Nov. 28, Leo and Bartholomew had joined other Christian leaders to commemorate the important Christian anniversary at the site where the early church fathers likely gathered. “We are convinced that the commemoration of this significant anniversary can inspire new and courageous steps on the path towards unity,” the declaration stated. A first concrete step, they agreed, could be establishing a common date for the celebration of Easter. This year, the two church calendars of Eastern Orthodox Christianity and Western Christianity happened to align on a common date for Easter, April 20, 2025. It also happened to be the 60th anniversary of the first Joint Declaration signed between the Orthodox and Catholic churches in 1965 by Pope Paul VI and Ecumenical Patriarch Athenagoras I. The Ecumenical Patriarch is considered first among equals among the nine Orthodox Patriarchs. Appointed in 1991, Bartholomew has been a consistent voice for peace, ecumenical dialogue and care for the environment. The Orthodox Church counts 225 million faithful among its members, mostly located in Eastern Europe. But Bartholomew’s position as a patriarch ruling from a Muslim majority country is isolated and often precarious. He is required to obtain approval for any local activities from both the Turkish political leadership and the Diyanet, the powerful department for religious affairs. He also has caused controversy in the Orthodox realm when he recognized the independence, or autocephaly, of the Orthodox Churches in Ukraine seeking independence from the Russian Orthodox Patriarch of Moscow, Kirill. Before signing the document, Leo and Bartholomew gathered at the Patriarchal Church of St. George, where they recited a short hymn, or doxology, for the unity and stability of Christian churches. After the hymn, Bartholomew expressed his gratitude that he and Leo were able to honor Pope Francis’ desire to commemorate the anniversary of the Council of Nicaea. Leo acknowledged his predecessors’ outreach to the eastern church in his brief remarks after the ceremony. “I am also aware that Your All Holiness had the opportunity to meet my venerable predecessors personally, and to develop a sincere and fraternal friendship with them based on shared faith and a common vision of many of the main challenges facing the Church and the world,” he said. Bartholomew attended Francis’ inauguration in 2013, an unprecedented event in the history of the two churches, and later attended Leo’s inauguration as pope as well. After the two Christian leaders’ prayer at Nicaea on Nov. 28, Leo said he is “encouraged in our commitment to seek the restoration of full communion among all Christians, a task that we undertake with God’s help.” Leo also celebrated a Mass at the Volkswagen Arena before 4,000 Christian faithful on Nov. 29. The next day he flew to Lebanon for the second leg of his first papal trip.