Pope Francis meets with LWF delegation in private audience in the Vatican. Photo: VaticanMedia
“A gift of hope” made by Ukrainian children in Kharkiv presented to Pope Francis
(LWI) - Leaders of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) met with Pope Francis in the Vatican on 20 June, highlighting the need for Lutherans and Catholics to strengthen their joint witness to “the life-giving and life-sustaining message of the Gospel of God’s liberating grace and our joint service to all neighbors.”
LWF President Bishop Henrik Stubkjær led a delegation which included the General Secretary Rev. Dr Anne Burghardt and vice presidents of the LWF regions who were elected during last September’s Thirteenth Assembly in Kraków, Poland. Together, they presented the pope with the gift of a small vase of flowers made from a bullet by Ukrainian children in the Lutheran congregation of Kharkiv.
Pope Francis receives “gift of hope” made by Ukrainian children in Lutheran congregation of Kharkiv. Photo: VaticanMedia
The vase symbolizes the children’s deep desire for peace and highlights the vulnerability of all children living through war and conflict. General Secretary Burghardt said “this is a gift of hope: it expresses the profound longing we have for a future where all can live in safety.” President Stubkjær added that we hope for a future where “neighboring countries live in peace with each other, without aggression or the need to oppress the other.”
Transformed by encounter and “mutual witness of faith”
Noting that dialogue between Lutherans and Catholics began almost sixty years ago, President Stubkjær gave thanks for that journey “from conflict to communion,” praising “God who alone makes such a journey possible.” On this journey together, he insisted that individuals and communities must be continuously “transformed by the encounter with the other and by the mutual witness of faith.”
We strive to live into the ecumenical potential of the Augsburg Confession and to do so with you.
LWF President Bishop Henrik Stubkjær
The LWF leader stressed that Lutherans are looking forward to launching a sixth phase of international dialogue with the Catholic Church next year in preparation for the 500th anniversary of the Augsburg Confession in 2030. Noting that this document was “an ecumenical statement in its own day seeking to maintain the unity of the Church,” he insisted: “We strive to live into the ecumenical potential of the Augsburg Confession and to do so with you.”
Sign of hope in our history of reconciliation
In his greeting to the LWF leaders, Pope Francis reflected on the 1,700th anniversary of the First Ecumenical Council of Nicaea which will be celebrated by all the major world communions next year. He stressed that the “ancient Christian creed of Nicaea [....] creates an ecumenical bond that has its center in Christ.”
"Jesus Christ is the heart of ecumenism," affirmed the Pope, “and our ecumenical mission is to witness to him.” He noted that 25 years have passed since the signing of the Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification (JDDJ), which he described as “yet another sign of hope in our history of reconciliation.” He said: “Let us cherish its memory as something that is always alive [and] may this 25th anniversary be observed in our communities as a celebration of hope.”
