On 5 February, Pope Leo XIV received young priests and monks of the Ancient Eastern Orthodox Churches, the Armenian, Coptic, Ethiopian, Eritrean, Syriac, and Malankara Churches, who arrived at the invitation of the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity.

This was reported by Vatican News.

The audience became an important part of a programme introducing participants to the life of the Catholic Church, the Roman Curia, and the educational institutions of Rome.

The Pope expressed hope that the visit would be fruitful, helping its participants to gain a deeper understanding of the Catholic Church, and also becoming a “blessing” for those who hosted the guests in Rome, allowing them to learn more about these Churches.

The Pope noted that the historical and cultural differences among the Churches form a “magnificent mosaic of our common Christian heritage”. At the same time, this diversity requires constant interaction so that the faithful may grow in a shared faith.

Leo XIV called for “inner” disarmament, recalling the prayerful words of Patriarch Athenagoras, a pioneer of the ecumenical movement, “I have disarmed my will that seeks to be right and to justify itself at the expense of others”, words spoken about waging “the most severe of wars, the war with oneself”.

According to the Pope, it is precisely freedom from prejudice and the “disarmament of the heart” that leads to growth in love, to deeper cooperation, and to the strengthening of the bonds of unity in Christ. In this way, Christian unity becomes a leaven of peace and universal reconciliation.