Patriarch and Pope sign common declaration in Jerusalem

The Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and Pope Francis met on Sunday in Jerusalem in the framework of celebrating the 50th anniversary since the meeting of Athinagoras and Paul VI, when both the Orthodox and Catholic Churches lifted mutual excommunications and opened a new period of discussion.

On Sunday both religious leaders prayed together at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher and then they pledged to pursue ecumenical dialog in a common declaration. The relevant declaration calls for the protection of family, peace, the common good, the protection of the natural environment and of course religious liberty.

Patriarch Bartholomew and Pope Francis called for “communion in legitimate diversity” between both Churches and said that they "look forward in eager anticipation to the day in which we will finally partake in the Eucharist banquet”.