Happy anniversary: ​​1700 years Nicea - Ecumenical service in Gera!

Happy anniversary: ​​1700 years Nicea - Ecumenical service in Gera!

Meißen, Deutschland - On July 1, 2025, the preparations for the 1,700th anniversary of Nicea's creed from Nicea are in full swing. The special occasion is celebrated not only in Gera, where on June 27, 2025 at 6 p.m. there is an ecumenical service in the Church of St. Trinitatis, but also beyond the borders of Germany, the importance of Nicea's Council can be felt. The working group of Christian churches in Gera cordially invites you to this special event and thus brings together different faith communities. The participants are mixed: from the Ev.-Luth. City church community to the Ukrainian Orthodox community up to the New Apostolic Church and the Methodist community.

The Council, which met in 325 in Nicea (now Iznik in Turkey), was a milestone in church history. Here the doctrine of the Holy Trinity was determined and the central creed was formulated. As part of the service, an allusion to the key persons of that time - Emperor Konstantin, Presbyter Arius and Bishop Athanasius the Great - will be presented. An introduction to the great creed is carried out by Andreas Martz and father Vitali, followed by a sermon by Pastor Gregor Hansel, who addresses the relevance of the credo today.

a commitment to unity

In Vienna, a service of the ecumenical council of the churches in Austria (ÖRKÖ) was also part of the anniversary. In his speech, Bishop Tiran Petrosyan emphasized the necessity of a strong, united confession of Christians, especially in times of political, social and ecological crises. The service took place in the Greek Orthodox Trinity Cathedral and brought about the variety of traditions and rites within Christianity. Despite all the differences, the common belief in Jesus Christ combines the participants.

Petrosyan recalls that Nicea's Council not only contributed to the clarification of the identity of Jesus, but also an answer to the challenges of his time. Even today, Nicea's commitment claims to bring the community together in questions about Christ's identity. The service participants together prayed the creed and collected donations for a aid project in Haiti.

theological relevance

The International Theological Commission has developed a comprehensive study on the dogmatic topicality of Nicea's first ecumenical council. This study, which was unanimously accepted in 2024, deals with topics such as doxology, the theology of dogmas and the relevance of the creed in the life of the believers. The importance of the Council for the unity of the Church and for the understanding of salvation by Jesus Christ is examined chapter.

The anniversary not only commemorates a historical event, but also calls for actively living and proclaiming faith. The celebrations in 2025 are intended to highlight the ecumenical importance of Nicea's belief and promote hope of a common Easter date. This makes it clear that Nicea's commitment continues to serve as a guideline for Christianity in order 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 promote the unity of Christians? This challenge has to be accepted together - in the spirit of the Council of Nicea.

More information about this important anniversary can be found here: Diocese of Dresden-Meißen, Vatican News , and Vatican.va.