Uniting in prayer this Easter
By Peter Marlow
In May 2025, we celebrate the 1,700th anniversary of the First Council of Nicaea (325), a time when Catholic and Orthodox churches were united.
Last year in January, we recognized the 60th anniversary of the historic, breakthrough meeting in Jerusalem on the slopes of the Mount of Olives between Pope St. Paul VI and Ecumenical Patriarch Athenagoras. This meeting provided a catalyst for open dialogue toward hopeful restoration of full communion between the Catholic and Orthodox churches.
Today, Pope Francis and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople have a profound friendship and affection for one another. While they recognize that theological differences exist, they understand the importance of ongoing dialogue. They show us how to work together to achieve the many things we hold dear and in common.
These two church leaders join together annually for an ecumenical encounter. On June 29, the feast of Sts. Peter and Paul, patrons of Rome, the ecumenical patriarch sends a delegation to attend the celebrations presided over by the bishop of Rome. On Nov. 30, the feast of St. Andrew, patron of Byzantium (modern-day Istanbul), the bishop of Rome sends a special envoy to celebrate the patronal feast of the ecumenical patriarchate in Turkey’s historic capital.
East-West traditions in San Francisco
We find a similar tradition and enduring friendship in San Francisco between Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone and Greek Orthodox Metropolitan Gerasimos.
Each year in January during the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, Archbishop Cordileone and Metropolitan Gerasimos join together for solemn vespers at St. Pius X Catholic Church in Redwood City. In observance of this special week of prayer, Archbishop Cordileone presides over solemn vespers and Metropolitan Gerosimos gives the homily.
During Lent, Metropolitan Gerosimos presides at the annual Ecumenical Service of Salutations to the Holy Cross at the Greek Orthodox Church of the Holy Cross in Belmont, which is depicted on the cover of this magazine. Archbishop Cordileone is invited each year to give the homily. Following the service, the congregation is invited up to venerate a relic of the true cross positioned in the sanctuary of the church.
Common date for Easter
In most years, Catholics and Orthodox celebrate Easter on different Sundays because the Orthodox in general follow the Julian calendar and Catholics follow the Gregorian calendar. The setting of a common date for Easter has its origin 1,700 years ago this May at the First Council of Nicaea, which tied the Easter date to the Jewish Passover – the first Sunday after the full moon following the vernal equinox. Yet at that time, there existed different methods of measurement, and days, months and years didn’t always match. In addition, many communities didn’t adopt the prescribed practice. This was further complicated when Catholics switched from using the more ancient Julian calendar to the more accurate Gregorian calendar in the 16th century.
This year, we see a rare event where both calendars align and the Orthodox and Catholic churches will hold Easter on the same day, April 20. Pope Francis took this opportunity to propose a common Easter date, going forward, during an ecumenical prayer service associated with the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity in January.
“I renew my appeal that this coincidence may serve as an appeal to all Christians to take a decisive step forward toward unity around a common date for Easter,” said the Pope. “The Catholic Church is open to accepting the date that everyone wants: a date of unity.”
In 2024 during his visit to Constantinople, the Pope said the following about the forthcoming 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea:
“The now imminent 1,700th anniversary of the first ecumenical Council of Nicaea will be another opportunity to bear witness to the growing communion that already exists among all who are baptized in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”
Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople reinforced a similar message when he said that the mutual celebration of Easter in 2025 will be “an amazing convergence.”
“As we have repeatedly highlighted lately, more than a calendrical coincidence, this alignment offers a great opportunity for togetherness, especially since the way of celebrating the date of Easter was one of the issues that the Council of Nicaea resolved,” he said.
While a unified Easter celebration wouldn’t solve the differences that divide Catholics and Orthodox, many argue it would be an important step for Christian unity.