Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew / We hope the new Pope is positive in Easter celebration on the same day
Addressing a group of Anglican and Roman Catholic pilgrims from Britain, including bishops and clergy, the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew said that "we pray that a worthy successor of Pope Francis will be elected to continue ecumenical relations, the ecumenical dialogue that we started a few decades ago, as it is with the Anglican Communion".
He also mentioned that this year we celebrated Easter with great joy and spiritual upliftment, and indeed all Christians throughout the world on the same day, which was a special blessing of God.
"With the blessed Pope Francis, we have recently made an effort to reach an agreement to celebrate Easter, always, in perpetuity, all Christians together on the same day. Unfortunately, our efforts were not yet complete, but we always have a hope that the new Pope will also be positive, as blessed Francis was to arrive at this historical event" he stated, including. the Ecumenical Patriarch.
Referring to the anniversary of 1.700 years since the convergence of the First Ecumenical Council in Nicaea, Bithynia, which they were going to honor together with Blessed Pope Francis in a visit they were planning to this city in May, he said:
"Now we hope his successor, the new Pope of Rome, he will want to make Francis' dream come true, who very much desired to come, and let's go together again, within this year, of 2025, which is the anniversary of the Synod, and make our pilgrimage.
"And maybe this pilgrimage of the new Pope will be combined with his official visit to the Ecumenical Patriarchate during our enthronement feast, 30 November, which is the feast of the Apostle Andrew Protocletos, of the founder of the Church of Constantinople".