Happy anniversary: ​​1700 years of Nicaea – Ecumenical service in Gera!

Happy anniversary: ​​1700 years of Nicaea – Ecumenical service in Gera!

On July 1, 2025, preparations for the 1,700th anniversary of the Nicene Creed are in full swing. The special occasion will not only be celebrated in Gera, where an ecumenical service will take place in the Church of St. Trinity on June 27, 2025 at 6 p.m., but the importance of the Council of Nicaea can also be felt beyond the borders of Germany. The Working Group of Christian Churches in Gera cordially invites you to this special event and thus brings different faith communities together. The participants are a diverse mix: from the Evangelical Lutheran Church. City parish to the Ukrainian Orthodox parish to the New Apostolic Church and the Methodist parish.

The council that met in Nicaea (now Iznik in Turkey) in 325 was a milestone in church history. Here the doctrine of the Holy Trinity was established and the central creed was formulated. As part of the service, an allusion to the key figures of this time - Emperor Constantine, Presbyter Arius and Bishop Athanasius the Great - will be presented. An introduction to the Great Creed is given by Andreas Martz and Father Vitali, followed by a sermon by Pastor Gregor Hansel, who addresses the relevance of the creed in today's world.

A commitment to unity

In Vienna, a service organized by the World Council of Churches in Austria (ÖRKÖ) was also dedicated to the anniversary. In his address, Bishop Tiran Petrosyan emphasized the need for a strong, united Christian confession, especially in times of political, social and ecological crises. The service took place in the Greek Orthodox Trinity Cathedral and showcased the diversity of traditions and rites within Christianity. Despite all the differences, the participants are united by their common faith in Jesus Christ.

Petrosyan recalls that the Council of Nicaea not only helped to clarify the identity of Jesus, but was also a response to the challenges of its time. Even today, the Nicene Confession claims to bring the community together on questions about the identity of Christ. The service participants recited the creed together and collected donations for an aid project in Haiti.

Theological relevance

The International Theological Commission has prepared a comprehensive study on the dogmatic relevance of the first Ecumenical Council of Nicaea. This study, unanimously adopted in 2024, addresses topics such as doxology, the theology of dogma and the relevance of the creed in the lives of believers. The significance of the council for the unity of the church and for the understanding of redemption through Jesus Christ is examined chapter by chapter.

The anniversary not only commemorates a historic event, but also calls for people to actively live and proclaim their faith. The celebrations in 2025 are intended to highlight the ecumenical importance of the Faith of Nicaea and promote hope for a common date for Easter. It is clear that the Nicene Creed continues to serve as a guide for Christianity to stand together in an increasingly complex world.

The question now arises for all believers: How can all church communities live their faith authentically in today's world and thereby promote Christian unity? This challenge must be accepted together – in the spirit of the Council of Nicaea.

You can find more information about this important anniversary here: Diocese of Dresden-Meißen, Vatican News, and Vatican.va.