His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew has once again proposed a unified date for Easter to be celebrated by both the Orthodox and Roman Catholic Churches.
Addressing the topic during a sermon for the Feast of St. Nicholas in Istanbul, Patriarch Bartholomew expressed optimism about reaching a permanent agreement with Pope Francis, especially as Easter 2025 will coincide for both Eastern and Western Christianity.
He also suggested that Anglican and other Protestant churches might join the unified celebration in the future.
The Patriarch clarified that the proposal is limited to agreeing on a shared date for Easter and does not extend to joint liturgical practices, which would require deeper ecclesial communion—something not yet achieved despite ongoing theological dialogue.
“This agreement pertains solely to the date of Easter’s celebration,” he said, adding that it would align with the Orthodox method of determining the date, as a way to honour the legacy of the First Ecumenical Council of Nicaea.
Patriarch Bartholomew lamented the continued division on this issue, stating, “It is indeed lamentable that, 1700 years later, we are still discussing this issue.”
He also called for an end to “fanaticism, narrow-mindedness, and prejudice” in modern Christianity, emphasising that “our God is a God of love.”
In addition to the Easter proposal, the Patriarch criticised Russian President Vladimir Putin and Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill for their roles in the ongoing war in Ukraine. He prayed for Russian clergy and laity who support persecuted Orthodox Christians in Ukraine, noting their imprisonment for resisting Putin’s policies and Kirill’s “anti-Christian rhetoric.”
Patriarch Bartholomew also called for an end to the war, expressing hope that the Christmas season would inspire efforts toward a just and lasting peace.
