By Fr. Panagiotis Kapodistrias
The Apostolic Encyclical In unitate fidei, dated 23 November 2025, was issued on the occasion of the 1700th anniversary of the First Ecumenical Council of Nicaea (325 AD). It is a theologically rich, historically grounded, and ecclesiologically oriented document. Pope Leo XIV offers more than a commemorative reflection; he presents a proposal centered on the renewal of faith in the Holy Trinity as a wellspring of life for the Church and for the modern believer.
The Nicene Creed, as a fruit of the Council and later conciliar developments, is presented as a unified source and foundation of faith. The Encyclical focuses on the central reference to the Incarnation (descendit de caelis) as an act of love and closeness. Christ is portrayed as a living presence, a relational person who shapes the Church and inspires her common journey.
Faith as Experience and Confession
Pope Leo XIV emphasizes the divinity of Christ in light of humanity’s salvation. The patristic language of theosis is highlighted through the interpretive continuity of St. Athanasius of Alexandria. The Creed functions as a consistent rule of life, grounded in Scripture and in ecclesial Tradition. Faith is approached as a daily stance, a liturgical act, and a personal choice.
Reception of the Creed is understood as an inner assent that bears fruit in public witness. The Encyclical’s language maintains clarity and simplicity, with an orientation toward the present: faith inspires life, guides action, and generates hope. Theosis is organically integrated into the Church’s Tradition as a living union between humanity and God.
Human identity, in Christ, is fulfilled through the Incarnation and participation in the ecclesial body. The body, soul, will, reason, and action all take part in the new creation. This is expressed both in the sacraments and in the Church’s social and philanthropic sensitivity. Spiritual life finds its fullness in relationship with God and with one's neighbor.
Faith, Unity, and Shared Orientation
The Nicene Creed is presented as common ground among all Christian traditions. Its ecumenical strength lies in its ability to inspire shared faith and foster spiritual kinship. Pope Leo XIV underscores the significance of theological maturity, historical continuity, and spiritual progress toward unity.
The memory of the Fathers and the martyrs is highlighted as a stable reference point. A common blood, a common faith, and a shared testimony form a horizon of encounter. Unity emerges as a natural expression of faith in the Triune God and as a dynamic horizon that encourages the Church in every age.
The Spirit acts within the life of the Church and illumines the path toward the fullness of faith. Unity grows where sincerity, humility, mutuality, and respect for the diversity of traditions prevail. The shared journey becomes an opportunity for spiritual fruitfulness, aimed toward witness in the world and care for one's neighbor.
Overall Assessment
In unitate fidei emerges as a text with clear theological focus and a meaningful pastoral vision. The past of Nicaea engages fruitfully with the Church’s present and offers a way of reading the faith that unites precision, interiority, and responsibility. The Creed becomes a living breath, capable of guiding the modern believer into deeper relationship with Christ and broader understanding of the Trinitarian life.
The unity proposed by the Encyclical draws its strength from the shared root of faith and the maturing of dialogue among the Churches. The memory of the Fathers, the theology of the Incarnation, and the experience of the martyrs form a space in which the Church encounters her truth and advances toward unity with spiritual depth and theological coherence.
Pope Leo XIV’s text offers an invitation to live the faith with authenticity, to pursue unity with substance, and to bear witness that touches the world with truth, integrity, and hope.
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