The World Communion of Reformed Churches (WCRC) joined global Christian leaders Friday in marking the 1700th anniversary of the First Council of Nicaea, a landmark moment in church history. The commemoration in modern-day Iznik brought together patriarchs, pastors and representatives of global Christian communions for a shared service of prayer, remembrance and renewed commitment to the visible unity of the church.
Faith leaders participating in the ecumenical prayer service included Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew; Pope Leo XIV; the Rev. Jerry Pillay, general secretary of the World Council of Churches; and the Rev. Philip Vinod Peacock, incoming general secretary of the World Communion of Reformed Churches. Together, they highlighted the Council of Nicaea’s enduring importance and the confession of faith that continues to shape Christian witness.
Patriarch Bartholomew spoke of hope amid global unrest. “We are here to bear living witness to the same faith expressed by the fathers of Nicaea,” he said. “We return to this wellspring of the Christian faith in order to move forward.”
Pope Leo XIV acknowledged ongoing divisions within the global church but emphasized the bonds shared across traditions. “Today, the whole of humanity afflicted by violence and conflict is crying out for reconciliation,” he said, urging Christians to renew their pursuit of unity.
During the service, Patriarch Bartholomew and Pope Leo XIV signed a joint declaration that said the anniversary “can inspire new and courageous steps on the path toward unity” and reaffirmed the Christian calling to work for peace among all peoples. “God will not abandon humanity,” the declaration said.
Representing the global Reformed family, the WCRC welcomed the commemoration as a moment of gratitude and challenge for churches committed to justice, reconciliation and unity.
“The anniversary of Nicaea invites all Christians — Reformed and otherwise — to rediscover the faith that binds us across time and tradition,” said the Rev. Philip Vinod Peacock, incoming general secretary of the World Communion of Reformed Churches. “In a world fractured by war, inequity and fear, the call to unity is not simply a matter of remembering the past but an urgent mandate for our present. The WCRC stands with its ecumenical partners in affirming that the pursuit of visible unity cannot be separated from our shared commitment to God’s justice, peace and the flourishing of all creation.”
The WCRC continues to collaborate with global and regional partners to carry forward the spirit of Nicaea in contemporary witness through dialogue, joint mission and common prayer for the healing of the world.
