With prayerful reverence and historical consciousness, Orthodox Christian hierarchs, clergy, and faithful from across Germany and beyond gathered in Munich on the weekend of May 31 - June 1, 2025, to commemorate the 1700th anniversary of the First Ecumenical Council of Nicaea, coinciding with the liturgical observance of the Sunday of the Holy Fathers of the First Ecumenical Council.

The commemorations were held under the leadership and blessing of His Eminence Metropolitan Augoustinos of Germany, Exarch of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, and were coordinated by the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops in Germany. The weekend’s celebrations brought together not only hierarchs from the Orthodox Churches but also ecumenical guests and civic leaders, all bearing witness to the enduring unity and truth of the Orthodox Christian faith.

On Saturday, May 31, the eve of the feast, a solemn Ecumenical Vespers Service was held in Munich, during which Orthodox bishops and clergy prayed alongside Roman Catholic and Lutheran leaders in remembrance of the Council of Nicaea and the theological foundations it laid 1700 years ago. Among the dignitaries present were:

• His Eminence Metropolitan Augoustinos (Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople),
• His Grace Bishop Emmanuel (Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Germany),
• His Eminence Reinhard Cardinal Marx (Roman-Catholic Archdiocese of Munich and Freising),
• Bishop Christian Kopp (Lutheran Bishop of Bavaria), and
• Bishop Thomas Prieto Peral (Regional Lutheran Bishop of Munich).

The Western European Eparchy of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Diaspora was represented by His Eminence Archbishop Daniel, who traveled to Munich for the celebration of the 80^th Anniversary of the Eparchy. He was accompanied by Rev. Fr. Alexander Smoktunowicz, Secretary of the Eparchy and representative of the Ukrainian Orthodox faithful across Germany, France, Belgium, and other nations in the region.

The ecumenical gathering was a solemn and dignified witness to the relevance and vitality of the Nicene tradition. As participants reflected on the Council’s enduring legacy, Archbishop Daniel noted in conversation that “the Fathers of Nicaea handed us not only a creed, but a living confession - one that binds us together in Christ and demands to be lived, defended, and handed on in purity to each generation.”

On the morning of Sunday, June 1, the official day of commemoration, the hierarchs of the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops in Germany gathered once again at the Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Munich for the festal Divine Liturgy honoring the Holy Fathers of the First Ecumenical Council. In the presence of His Eminence Metropolitan Augustinos – the Exarch of the Ecumenical Patriarch in Germany, the Liturgy was concelebrated by

• Metropolitan Isaak (Antiochian Orthodox Patriarchate),
• Metropolitan Grigorije (Serbian Orthodox Patriarchate),
• Bishop Sofian (Romanian Orthodox Patriarchate),
• Archbishop Daniel (Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Diaspora – Ecumenical Patriarchate),
• Bishop Emmanuel (Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Germany – Ecumenical Patriarchate).

The Liturgy was deeply moving, with faithful from all backgrounds gathered to give glory to God for the unity of the Church, as affirmed by the Holy Fathers of Nicaea. In his brief remarks, at the invitation of Metropolitan Augustinos of the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Germany, Archbishop Daniel offered reflections on the sacred responsibility borne by today’s hierarchs and faithful:

“The torch of faith that was once entrusted to the Church at Nicaea is now in our hands. We must guard it with love, live it with conviction, and pass it on unchanged to future generations. The Creed of Nicaea is not simply a statement - it is the heartbeat of the Orthodox Church.”

Following the Divine Liturgy, a festal luncheon was prepared by the host parish in honor of all those who had participated in the weekend’s observances. Warm fellowship and joyful conversation filled the cathedral halls, as participants shared in a spirit of ecclesial love and mutual encouragement.

Throughout the services and fraternal gatherings, prayers were offered for His Eminence Metropolitan Antony, Prime Hierarch of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA and the Diaspora, whose archpastoral guidance continues to inspire and strengthen the mission of the Church both in Europe and North America.

As the celebrations drew to a close, those in attendance departed with renewed commitment to the legacy of the Nicene Fathers - one of faithful witness, doctrinal clarity, and Christ-centered unity. The presence of multiple Orthodox jurisdictions, joined in prayer and love, stood as a powerful testimony to the Church’s enduring foundation in “one Lord, one faith, one baptism” (Ephesians 4:5).

“May the unity of faith and the bond of love among our Churches be strengthened,” Archbishop Daniel remarked at the conclusion of the Liturgy, “as we continue to walk together in the truth of the Gospel and the radiant light of the Holy Fathers of Nicaea.”