Patriarch Bartholomew I joins French bishops in Lourdes for Nicaea 1700th anniversary, urging unity, ecology, and Gospel joy amid spiritual voids.
Newsroom (04/11/2025, Gaudium Press ) On November 4, 2025, Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople, Primate of the Orthodox Church, addressed the Autumn Plenary Assembly of the Conference of Bishops of France in Lourdes, as part of global commemorations of the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea, which produced the Creed shared by all Christians.
Cardinal Jean-Marc Aveline, Archbishop of Marseille and president of the French Bishops’ Conference, welcomed the patriarch in a formal address, calling the visit a “fraternal moment” that strengthens ecclesiastical bonds. “May this gathering glorify your call for unity, as you are one with the Father in the Holy Spirit. Amen,” Aveline said.
The cardinal praised Bartholomew’s prompt acceptance of the invitation to Marseille and his affinity for France, noting the patriarch’s fluency in the language. This marked Bartholomew’s second visit to the French bishops, following his 1995 appearance in Lourdes under then-Bishop Robert Duval.
“Your presence is a visitation, fortifying us as disciples of Christ,” Aveline stated. He linked contemporary “ecological disaster” to a “spiritual void” and warned against “nihilistic temptations” afflicting societies. “Our Churches must testify to the Gospel’s freedom, strength, and joy,” he added, echoing St. Paul’s Epistle to the Romans: “What should we be afraid of?”
Describing the encounter as “prophetically significant,” Aveline highlighted shared commitments between Bartholomew and Pope Leo XIV ahead of the pontiff’s planned visit to Nicaea, Turkey. “A common spirit drives them in service of Church unity and global peace,” he said. The two leaders will jointly commemorate the council that articulated the Creed’s expression of the Incarnation. Aveline closed with Jesus’ prayer from John 17: “May they be one, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.”
The event underscores advancing dialogue between Eastern and Western Churches. One bishop in Lourdes remarked anonymously: “Hosting Patriarch Bartholomew is not mere historical recollection; it is an act of faith in the future. Nicaea’s proclamation—one Lord, one faith, one baptism—remains our mandate.”
Born Dimitrios Arkhontonis on February 29, 1940, on Turkey’s Imbros island, Bartholomew has led the Ecumenical Patriarchate since 1991 as successor to St. Andrew. Trained at Halki, Rome, Munich, and Bossey, the polyglot theologian prioritizes inter-Church dialogue, religious liberty, and environmental stewardship. Dubbed the “Green Patriarch,” he integrates ecology into Christian spirituality, viewing Earth as “sister and mother.”
A proponent of reconciliation with Rome, Bartholomew has met popes John Paul II, Benedict XVI, and Francis. He bridges Orthodox tradition with ecumenical action, science and faith, contemplation and engagement. In a divided era, the Lourdes gathering affirmed Christ-centered faith as a source of peace and communion. Concluding his address, Bartholomew declared: “Christianity is only just beginning.”
- Raju Hasmukh with files from Tribune Chretienne
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