Pope Leo XIV, with Eastern Orthodox, urges Christians to strengthen unity

Pope Leo XIV on Thursday called on Christians to remove prejudices and “disarm” their hearts in order to strengthen bonds of unity in Christ and advance the cause of Christian communion.

The pope made the appeal while receiving priests and monks from the Oriental Orthodox Churches who are participating in a study visit to Rome organized by the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity.

Greeting representatives of the Armenian, Coptic, Ethiopian, Eritrean, Malankara, and Syriac Orthodox Churches in the Consistory Hall of the Apostolic Palace, Pope Leo said the historic and cultural differences among the churches form “a wonderful mosaic of our shared Christian heritage.”

At the same time, he emphasized the need for a concrete commitment to communion, saying: “We should continue to support each other, so that we may grow in our shared faith in Christ, who is the ultimate source of our peace.”

The pope recalled that the Church recently celebrated the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, whose theme was taken from St. Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians. Citing the apostle’s words, he noted the biblical foundation of Christian unity: “There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling.”

Reflecting on the missionary activity of St. Paul, Pope Leo said the apostle became aware of the particularities of each Christian community, including “their ethnicity, customs, as well as the challenges and concerns.” At the same time, Paul recognized the risk that communities could become too inward-looking.

As a result, the pope said, St. Paul consistently reminded believers that they were part of “the one mystical body of Christ,” encouraging them “to support one another and maintain the unity of faith and teachings that reflect the transcendent nature and oneness of God.”

Pope Leo stressed that authentic ecumenical progress requires an inner conversion, invoking Patriarch Athenagoras of Constantinople, a pioneer of the ecumenical movement. Quoting his prayer, the pope said: “I am disarmed of the need to be right, to justify myself by judging others,” by waging “the hardest war, the war against myself.”

“When we remove the prejudices we carry within ourselves and disarm our hearts, we grow in charity, work more closely together, and strengthen our bonds of unity in Christ,” the pope said.

He added that in this way, Christian unity becomes “a leaven for peace on earth and reconciliation of all.”

Pope Leo also noted that the study visit had been mutually enriching, saying it had been “a blessing to all those who have met you here, enabling them to learn more about your churches.”

Renewing his gratitude for the visit, the pope assured the participants of his prayers and invoked the protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary upon them and their communities.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.