Ecumenical Patriarch: Halki is no longer just a wound, but also a hope

Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew returned to the Pontifical Oriental Institute in Rome on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, during the final stage of his visit to Italy, and delivered a lecture emphasizing the importance of Canon Law for Orthodox unity, inter-Christian dialogue, and pastoral care.

The visit marked a symbolic homecoming for the Ecumenical Patriarch, who studied at the Institute between 1963 and 1968, earning his doctorate in Canon Law.

Welcomed by the academic community, Patriarch Bartholomew delivered a lectio magistralis titled “From the Orientale to the Throne of St Andrew: A Canonist’s Confession.”

Reflecting on his student years, he recalled the profound influence of his professors and the historic developments in relations between the Orthodox and Roman Catholic Churches during the Second Vatican Council.

“We were a student here when the ice of nine centuries began to melt,” he remarked, referring to the mutual lifting of the anathemas of 1054 in December 1965.

Canon Law, Orthodox Unity and Inter-Christian Dialogue A central theme of his address was the need for a common code of Canon Law for the Orthodox Church, a proposal he first advanced in his…