The “full unity” of Christians is not only a distant goal but an urgent need, particularly in light of the conflicts afflicting the world and especially tearing apart the Middle East.

Pope Leo XIV reaffirmed the necessity of a more vigorous ecumenical commitment in this era of wars and divisions during a phone conversation and in a letter to the Coptic Orthodox Pope of Alexandria, Tawadros II, Patriarch of the See of St. Mark, on the occasion of the Day of Coptic-Catholic Friendship.

According to a statement from the Holy See Press Office, the conversation centered on “the desire to give new impetus to the celebration of the Day of Friendship between Copts and Catholics, seeking to overcome any obstacles to dialogue based on faith and charity."

Moreover, the Press Office also noted that the discussion expressed “awareness of the shared responsibility for proclaiming the Gospel and promoting peace and reconciliation, especially in the greatly troubled Middle East."

The “noble tradition” initiated by Pope Francis

Pope Leo XIV sent a letter reiterating this same sentiment to the Coptic Orthodox Pope for the Day, whose idea originated with the Patriarch and was later embraced and promoted by Pope Francis on May 13, 2013, just two months after his election.

The idea was to commemorate the forty years since the historic meeting between Paul VI and Shenouda III in 1973, which culminated in the signing of a common Christological declaration.

Tawadros II and Pope Francis met again ten years later, in May 2023. First, they met in St. Peter’s Square for the General Audience to bless the crowd together, then the following day, in the Apostolic Palace to reaffirm the hope of Eucharistic communion and to commemorate the 21 Coptic Christians who were killed by decapitation by ISIS in 2015 on a Libyan beach.

Now those 21 Christians are included in the Roman Martyrology as “a sign of spiritual communion” between the See of Peter and the See of Mark.

Pope Leo XIV thus continues this “noble tradition” initiated by his “beloved predecessor” Francis of celebrating the Day of Coptic-Catholic Friendship and urges that this observance give fresh momentum to the shared journey, marked by past separations and “misunderstandings” and new reconciliations.

“At a time when our world is afflicted by so many conflicts, particularly in the Middle East, Christians must, more than ever," Pope Leo insisted, "strive for full unity so that we may bear witness together to the Prince of Peace. In doing so, we can be confident in the powerful intercession and example of the countless martyrs who have suffered for the name of Christ.”

Witnessing God’s goodness to humanity

Pope Leo had already acknowledged the “Day” during the last Regina Cœli on Sunday, May 10, sending a “fraternal greeting” to Pope Tawadros II, who had celebrated the Eucharist the previous day at St. Mark’s Basilica in Venice with several Coptic bishops and priests.

The two have not yet met in person. The Coptic Orthodox Pope had sent a letter of congratulations to the American Pope upon his 2025 election, and there was also a phone call. While awaiting an encounter, Pope Leo, from the window of the Apostolic Palace, asked for prayers for the entire “beloved” Coptic Church “in the hope that our journey of friendship will lead us to perfect unity in Christ.”

In the letter signed on May 4 and published on Friday, May 15, he reiterates this hope, focusing particularly on the very concept of “friendship.”

For Christians, he said, it is not “a vague sentiment; it is at the very heart of our life and faith. For our Lord himself calls us his friends, and he teaches us that ‘no one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.’ Thus, it is by drawing upon Christ’s friendship with us that we will be able to strengthen the friendship between ourselves, and between our Churches, as we continue to bear witness together to the divine philanthropia for all humanity!”

Dialogue and unity

In this spirit, Pope Leo XIV expressed the hope that the International Joint Commission for Theological Dialogue between the Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Churches—which since 2003 has engaged in “extremely fruitful” theological dialogue resulting in three documents demonstrating “an increasing theological understanding”—may “resume its work as soon as possible with all Churches of the Oriental Orthodox family, in order to respond to Christ’s prayer, ‘that they all may be one.’”

In the same letter, the Pope thanked the Coptic Orthodox Church for hosting participants, including several Catholic delegations, at the Sixth World Conference of the “Faith and Order” Commission, held in October 2025 at the Monastery of St. Bishoy in Wadi El Natrun.

Pope Leo XIV also expressed confidence that reflections for the 1700th anniversary of the First Ecumenical Council of Nicaea “will rekindle our desire to achieve the visible unity of the Church — a unity rooted in the one baptism that we profess in the Nicene Creed, and which, I sincerely pray, we shall attain.”

Looking ahead to Pentecost, Pope Leo invoked the Holy Spirit to “guide Copts and Catholics on our common pilgrimage in truth and charity towards full communion.”