Pope Francis met on June 30 with a delegation of Orthodox prelates, representing the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, who were in Rome to join in the celebration of the feast of Sts. Peter and Paul, which fell on the previous day.

The Pope welcomed the Orthodox visitors, saying that their participation in the Vatican ceremonies was “a tangible sign that the days of distance and indifference, when our divisions were considered irreparable, is long past.” He welcomed the resumption of meetings of the International Commission for Theological Dialogue between Catholic and Orthodox representatives—meetings which had been disrupted by the Covid lockdown.

During the audience the Pope referred to the war in Ukraine as “a cruel and senseless war of aggression” that was shaking the security of the world.