From 4 to 6 November 2025, the Joint Committee of the Council of European Bishops’ Conferences (CCEE) and the Conference of European Churches (CEC) will meet in Rome. There will be two key moments of the meeting: the ceremony for the signing of the updated Charta Œcumenica, that will take place on 5 November 2025 in the Church of the Martyrdom of Saint Paul at the Abbey of the Three Fountains, confirming the common commitment of the European Churches to unity, dialogue and cooperation; and on 6 November the special Audience granted by Pope Leo XIV to the participants present at the signing ceremony.
The Charta Œcumenica
Signed in 2001 by the Presidents of CCEE and CEC, the Charta Œcumenica has been a milestone of European ecumenical cooperation for over two decades. The revised version seeks to address contemporary challenges and reflect the changing realities of European society and Christianity. The review process, which began in 2022, was led by a joint CCEE-CEC working group. Contributions from churches and ecumenical organisations from across Europe have been carefully considered to ensure that the updated text is in line with current ecumenical needs. This collaborative effort aims to produce a document that promotes unity, peace and joint action among the churches in Europe.
The updated version will be signed by H.E. Msgr. Gintaras GRUŠAS, Archbishop of Vilnius and President of the CCEE, and by H. Em. Archbishop NIKITAS LIOULIAS of Thyateira and Great Britain and President of the CEC.
Stages of the Programme
4-5 November – The Joint Committee meeting: the working sessions, dedicated to the theme, “Fruits of the Spirit: Ecumenical Guidelines for Journeying Together”, will focus on the process of the reception of the document, from a theological and practical-pastoral perspective, at the continental, national and local levels.
5 November afternoon – A moment of ecumenical prayer and the signing of the updated Charta Œcumenica in the Church of the Martyrdom of Saint Paul at the Abbey of the Three Fountains, with a presentation of the Charta Œcumenica’s revision process, prepared by the coordinators of the working group, H. Em. Card. Grzegorz RYŚ, Archbishop of Łódź and Mrs. Lea SCHLENKER, from the Protestant Church in Germany.
6 November – The Audience with His Holiness Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican.