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May 16, 2025The first International Ecumenical Congress took place on May 16 in Abu Dhabi, as Christian Churches around the world mark the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea (325 A.D.)—the first Ecumenical Council and a foundational moment in the history of the Christian faith.
Organized by St. Francis Church of the Abrahamic Family House (AFH), the congress was held in collaboration with the Interfaith & Ecumenical Dialogue Office (IFEDO) of the Apostolic Vicariate of Southern Arabia and the Gulf Churches Fellowship, Ecumenical Network in the Gulf region (GCF).
Marking the first event for the AFH to be held off-site, hosted in the hall of St. Joseph’s Church.
Among those present was Bishop Paolo Martinelli, Apostolic Vicar of Southern Arabia.
This was the focus of the two roundtable discussions that shaped the day’s program.
The morning panel, adopting an academic approach, featured three prominent scholars who provided insights into the historical context in which the Council of Nicaea took place (Fr. Luca Bianchi), how the Council itself and the Nicene Creed was received especially by the Churches in the Middle-East (Dr. Bishara Ebeid), as well as its practical consequences and the path it set in motion within the Church.
They discussed the problems it addressed, the issues it resolved or opened up (Fr. John Holdsworth), and the questions it still raises today for scholars, religious leaders, and those within the Church responsible for faith education.
The afternoon featured a lively and in-depth dialogue on the future prospects of ecumenical dialogue in light of the Council of Nicaea.
The representatives of the various Christian Churches addressed a range of topics that continue to challenge the essence of our Christian identity, our relationship with Jesus and with others, pastoral practices, the communication of faith, youth education, relations among Churches, and the common witness in an increasingly multicultural reality shaped by technology.
Bishop Paolo Martinelli’s address (full text) concluded the day’s proceedings. He strongly emphasized what he called “the most important and decisive result of the Council of Nicaea: that of defining the Christian idea of God. Nicaea marks the transition from a rigid monotheism to Trinitarian monotheism. The divinity of Christ and the Trinity of God are two inseparable mysteries.” According to the Bishop, the affirmation of Jesus as “begotten, not made” was “the most arduous and decisive achievement of the Christian faith on the level of being.”