Pope: New Charta Oecumenica bears witness to shared journey of European Churches

By Devin Watkins

Pope Leo XIV met on Thursday with members of the Joint Committee of the Conference of European Churches (CEC) and the Council of European Bishops’ Conferences (CCEE).

The papal audience came a day after the representatives of Christian Churches in Europe signed the new Charta Oecumenica, a document that acts as a cornerstone of European ecumenical cooperation, at the Abbey of the Three Fountains in Rome.

In his address, the Pope said the updated document—signed 25 years after the first Ecumenical Charter—seeks to address the constantly evolving ecumenical journey of Christians in Europe, while responding to contemporary concerns in proclaiming the Gospel.

He noted that Europe has seen new generations born and people arrive from distant lands who bring with them “varied histories and cultural expressions.”

“While there are indeed positive and encouraging signs of growth in some parts of Europe, at the same time many Christian communities sense themselves increasingly to be in a minority,” he said.

Pope Leo encouraged European Churches to listen to new voices and stories, so that Christians may learn to better promote dialogue and fraternity amid “the din of violence and war”.

“In all these situations,” he said, “the grace, mercy, and peace of the Lord are indeed vital, for only divine help will show us the most convincing way to proclaim Christ in these most challenging contexts.”

The Pope affirmed that God “speaks to and through His holy people,” and called the Charta Oecumenica a testimony to the “willingness of the Churches in Europe to look at our history through the eyes of Christ.”

The Holy Spirit, he added, will allow European Christians to discover areas where they have succeeded in proclaiming the Gospel together, as well as times when they have fallen short.

“The Charta not only suggests methods but also insists on companions for the journey and possible ways forward,” he said. “In doing so, let us always remain open to the promptings and the surprises of the Holy Spirit!”

Pope Leo XIV linked the Catholic Church’s ecumencial journey to its synodal journey, pointing out that the Charta Oecumenica highlights the Christian journey in Europe to listen to one another and discern together the best ways to preach the Gospel.

“One of the notable achievements of the process of revising the Charta has been the ability to take a shared view on contemporary challenges and draw up priorities for the future of the continent, while maintaining a firm belief in the unending relevance of the Gospel,” he said.

In conclusion, Pope Leo recalled his upcoming visit to the site where the Council of Nicaea took place in 325, where he will pray with leaders of other Christian communities.

“It also my desire, in this Jubilee Year,” concluded the Pope, “to proclaim to all the people of Europe that ‘Jesus Christ is our Hope,’ for He is both the path we are to follow, and the ultimate destination of our spiritual journey.”