Pope Leo XIV proposed 2033 as the next goal for Christian unity, marking the 2,000th anniversary of the Redemption. The Pope met with leaders of Christian churches and communities in Istanbul to discuss Christian unity. The meeting took place at the Syriac Orthodox Church of Mar Ephrem, the first church built in Turkey since 1923. Christian leaders discussed their common desire for Christian unity, following their recitation of the Nicene Creed at the ruins of the Nicaea basilica. The Pope expressed his desire for 'a return to Jerusalem' and encouraged further meetings and prayers for unity.
16 days ago
Pope Leo XIV convened with leaders from Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, Anglican, Lutheran, Baptist, Evangelical, and other Christian communions at the Syriac Orthodox Church of Mor Ephrem in Istanbul on November 29, 2025.1 2
This two-hour private meeting followed the previous day's recitation of the Nicene Creed at the ruins of Nicaea, marking the 1,700th anniversary of the first ecumenical council.1 3
The gathering, hosted at Turkey's first new church since 1923, emphasized shared faith in Jesus Christ as true God and true man.2 4
Notably absent were representatives from the Russian Orthodox Church, highlighting ongoing tensions between Moscow and Constantinople.1 4
Pope Leo XIV invited Christian leaders to embark on a "spiritual path" toward the 2033 Jubilee of Redemption, commemorating the 2,000th anniversary of Jesus' death and resurrection.1 2
He proposed a joint pilgrimage culminating in Jerusalem at the Cenacle, site of the Last Supper and Pentecost, to foster full unity.3 4
Citing his motto "In Illo uno unum" (In the One, we are one), the Pope stressed that divisions hinder evangelization and witness.2 3
The invitation extends to absent churches, with prayers sought for future encounters.1 2
The meeting renewed commitment to the Nicene Creed's proclamation of the Incarnation, underscoring its role in uniting Christians.2 3
Leo XIV highlighted ecumenism's need for "geological patience," acknowledging persistent differences while celebrating shared moments like Nicaea's anniversary.1
Participants recited the Our Father together, led by the Syriac Orthodox Patriarchal Vicar.2
In the guest book, the Pope wrote of renewing faith in Christ and blessing all represented communities.2 4
Later, Pope Leo XIV and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I signed a declaration at St. George's Cathedral, calling for "courageous steps" toward unity inspired by Nicaea.3
They urged adoption of a common Easter date, noting 2025's rare alignment and the historical drift from the Julian to Gregorian calendars.3
The leaders appealed for global peace, condemning wars and urging civil authorities to end conflicts.3
This followed the Pope's morning visit to Istanbul's Blue Mosque and preceded a public Mass at Volkswagen Arena.1
The Syriac Orthodox Church of Mor Ephrem, inaugurated in 2023 after delays from the pandemic and earthquake, symbolizes resilience in Turkey's secular republic.1 2
Nicaea's legacy includes setting Easter's date, yet calendar differences persist, with Eastern celebrations sometimes lagging by weeks.3
Tensions, including those between Rome and Moscow over Ukraine and doctrinal issues, underscore unity's obstacles.4
Despite absences, the events signal progress, with Leo XIV invoking Jesus' prayer for oneness in John 17.3
Pursue ecumenical unity through a 2033 Jerusalem Jubilee
The idea of pursuing ecumenical unity through a 2033 Jubilee centered in Jerusalem resonates deeply with the Catholic Church's longstanding commitment to Christian reconciliation, pilgrimage, and the redemptive events of Christ's life. Rooted in scriptural calls for oneness—"that they may all be one" (Jn 17:21)—this vision builds on recent papal teachings that link the 2025 Ordinary Jubilee to the upcoming 2,000th anniversary of the Lord's Passion, Death, and Resurrection in 2033. Such a Jubilee would not only commemorate salvation history but also foster visible unity among divided Christians by returning to the Holy Land, the cradle of the faith, as a shared spiritual home. Drawing from addresses by Pope Leo XIV and predecessors, this analysis explores the theological, historical, and practical foundations for this pursuit, highlighting how it could advance dialogue, synodality, and joint witness in a fractured world.
The year 2033 holds profound significance in the Church's calendar, marking two millennia since the central mystery of Christian faith: the redemption accomplished through Jesus' Passion, Death, and Resurrection. Pope Francis, in his Bull of Indiction for the 2025 Jubilee, Spes non confundit, explicitly frames the current Holy Year as a preparatory journey toward this event, stating that it "will also guide our steps towards yet another fundamental celebration for all Christians: 2033 will mark the two thousandth anniversary of the redemption won by the passion, death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus." This progression echoes earlier Jubilees, such as the Great Jubilee of 2000, which Pope John Paul II described as a return to the Incarnation's origins, awakening awareness of the "key truth of faith" that "the Word became flesh" (Jn 1:14).
For ecumenism, 2033 offers a kairos moment to heal divisions stemming from the second millennium, much as the 2000 Jubilee spurred tangible steps toward unity. Pope Leo XIV, in his address to an Orthodox-Catholic ecumenical pilgrimage, reinforces this by urging a spiritual return to Jerusalem, where the Apostles received the Holy Spirit at Pentecost and bore witness to Christ "to the ends of the earth." He quotes Pope Francis to emphasize that the 2025 Jubilee's motto, Peregrinantes in Spes ("Pilgrims in Hope"), prepares the path for 2033, inviting all Christians to experience God's consolation in the City of Peace. This aligns with the Church's eschatological vision of the "heavenly Jerusalem," where God dwells among humanity, wiping away every tear (Rev 21:4), as outlined in the Catechism. A 2033 Jubilee in Jerusalem would thus embody hope not as abstract optimism but as concrete unity, fulfilling Christ's prayer for his disciples and countering the "darkness of sin and death" through shared proclamation of the risen Lord.
Jerusalem's role in Christian unity is irreplaceable, as the site of Christ's redemptive acts and the birthplace of the Church. Popes have long invoked the Holy Land as a place of reconciliation, with Pope Pius XII lamenting barriers to pilgrimage there during times of conflict and calling for its international protection to safeguard sacred memorials.; Pope John Paul II extended this in his 1999 letter on pilgrimages to salvation's places, expressing a desire to be welcomed as a "pilgrim and brother" by all Churches in the Holy Land, viewing such journeys as "doxology" for shared salvation and a witness to unity.
Pope Leo XIV builds on this tradition, linking Jerusalem to ecumenical progress in his 2025 address to U.S. pilgrims. He envisions a return to the roots—tombs of Peter and Paul in Rome, Andrew in Constantinople, and ultimately Jerusalem—where unity avoids rivalry among Sees, echoing Jesus' rebuke of the disciples' quest for greatness (Mk 9:33-37).; This spiritual pilgrimage counters modern divisions, much like the 1965 lifting of the 1054 excommunications between Rome and Constantinople, which made such joint ventures possible. A 2033 Jerusalem Jubilee could culminate these efforts, inviting Orthodox, Protestant, Assyrian, and Catholic leaders to pray together at sites like the Holy Sepulchre, fostering the "dialogue of truth" and "dialogue of charity" that Pope Leo XIV praises in dialogues with the Assyrian Church of the East. By focusing on Jerusalem, it would honor the first millennium's model of communion—without absorption—promoting an "exchange of gifts" from the Holy Spirit (Eph 4:12).
The Church's recent ecumenical initiatives provide a roadmap for a 2033 unity-focused Jubilee. The 2025 Jubilee coincides providentially with the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea, where bishops formulated the Creed affirming Christ's divinity—"true God from true God, consubstantial with the Father"—as a "common patrimony" binding all Christians. Pope Leo XIV highlights this in multiple addresses: to the Stockholm Ecumenical Week, celebrating Nicaea's unity amid difference; to the Assyrian dialogue, hoping Nicaea inspires "ecumenical synodal practices"; and in his Apostolic Letter In Unitate Fidei, invoking the Spirit to "unite the hearts and minds of believers" for communion. The Synod on Synodality's Final Document urges joint commemoration of Nicaea in 2025 to "deepen and confess together our faith in Christ" and launch initiatives for a common Easter date, enhancing missionary witness.
These steps echo Pope Francis's encouragement of the "Pasqua Together 2025" group, which unites confessions in preparing for 2033's "Second Millennium of Redemption," avoiding divisions over calendars and focusing on Easter's essence: Christ's Resurrection, not human initiative.; Pope Leo XIV extends this in his message to Catholic Charities, portraying migrants as "missionaries of hope" who bridge cultures, suggesting a Jubilee could integrate social witness with ecumenism. Historical precedents abound: the 1925 Stockholm Conference's call for "practical Christianity" in service, and John Paul II's 1989 Sweden visit signaling Catholic-Lutheran progress. A 2033 event could involve shared liturgical celebrations, theological dialogues on Church constitution, and pilgrimages, as in the 2025 Orthodox-Catholic group that chanted Easter together despite differing calendars. Challenges, like geopolitical tensions in the Holy Land, must be addressed through prayer for peace, as Pius XII urged.
To pursue this vision, the Church could coordinate with ecumenical partners via existing bodies like the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity. Pope Leo XIV's engagements—greeting interreligious dialogue groups, labor leaders on environmental and migrant inclusion, and Rimini's Friendship Meeting—model collaborative action. A 2033 Jubilee might include:
Controversies, such as differing views on primacy or sacraments, require nuance; sources agree recent dialogues have resolved Christological disputes, paving the way for ecclesial models inspired by the undivided Church. If sources like the 1994 Catholic-Assyrian Declaration guide progress, full communion remains aspirational, but a Jubilee could yield "prophetic presages" of unity. Where sources are preparatory (e.g., 2025 focusing on hope), they do not overreach to 2033 details but affirm its ecumenical potential without speculation.
In conclusion, a 2033 Jerusalem Jubilee emerges as a faithful extension of Catholic teaching, transforming commemoration into action for unity. As Pope Leo XIV prays in In Unitate Fidei, may the Spirit "gather us into the one flock of Christ," making this pursuit a beacon of hope amid division. By returning to Jerusalem's roots, Christians can witness the Redeemer's victory, advancing toward the heavenly city where all tears are wiped away.