Pope Leo Visits Nicaea, Promotes Unity and Peace

Attending ceremonies on the lakeshore, Pope Leo XIV marked the 1700th anniversary of the First Council of Nicaea, held where a hidden basilica was unveiled by receding water in Lake Iznik in 2014.

IZNIK, TURKEY — Pope Leo XIV, on the second leg of his first international journey, stood upon the historic site where church leaders converged 1,700 years prior during the First Council of Nicaea, a meeting that birthed creeds still uttered in congregations.

Amidst ancient ruins beside the serene Lake Iznik, Pope Leo met with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, the spiritual head of Eastern Orthodox Christians globally. Together they reflected at the remnants of a lakeside church where bishops gathered in 325 AD, aiming to mend early Church divides.

His Holiness proclaimed, "The wielding of religion to validate conflict, violence, or any extremism cannot be tolerated. Instead, we must embrace paths of brotherly dialogue, understanding, and collaboration." His pilgrimage serves to promote harmony among Christians and across all faiths and communities. On Thursday, in a dialogue with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Pope Leo expressed concerns that current global discord endangers humanity's future.

Emperor Constantine called the First Council of Nicaea, ensuring bishops from the Roman Empire convened to tackle a doctrinal dilemma about Jesus’ relation to God. After enduring 250 years of persecution, Christians, through Constantine's decree, found freedom to worship empire-wide. A unified Church was fundamental to Constantine's vision for a stable empire after civil unrest.

Participating in a prayer service near the Basilica of Saint Neophytos' remains on November 28, 2025, Pope Leo, with Bartholomew I, Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, sought to bridge divides.

A prominent theological debate was posed by Arius, an Alexandrian priest who contended that while Jesus was exalted, he was a creation and not God’s equal.

The council refuted Arius’ convictions, asserting Jesus as "consubstantial" with the Father, underpinning the creed beginning with "I believe in one God, the Father almighty…" recited today.

Displayed in aerial photos, the submerged Byzantine Basilica of Saint Neophytos, along Lake Iznik's shores, served as a backdrop for Pope Leo's visit on Friday, November 28th.

Discovered only recently, its locale emerged through aerial imaging during dredging activities, puzzling locals familiar with the site’s visual in low water levels where swimmers rest on its stones. Now fully revealed due to shoreline shifts, its structure, including an apse and numerous graves, stands on dry land.

Christian unity prevailed until the 1054 Great Schism, dividing Catholic and Eastern Orthodox rites over theological differences and jurisdictional tensions between Rome and Constantinople, now Istanbul.

At this sacred site on Friday, Pope Leo and Patriarch Bartholomew shared a silent prayer over the newly exposed ruins. Ahead of the celebration, the Pope issued a letter highlighting the creed as a "shared Christian legacy," crafted when memories of Christian persecution were vivid.

In a gesture echoing modern-day solidarity, the Pope and the Patriarch will affirm their unity through a joint declaration on the following Saturday.