The newly elected Pope is a theologian. One of his first statements has been a surprise. He claimed: Jesus was not “a charismatic leader or superman.” He went further “This is true not only among non-believers but also among many baptised Christians, who thus end up living, at this level, in a state of practical atheism.”

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The Pope has repeated the condemnation of Arius at the Council of Nicaea (modern day Iznik in Türkiye) in 325. Arius had held that God the Father had created  Jesus within a temporal dimension. For him Jesus was just a man, albeit a special one. The council’s answer was swift and decisive. Jesus was of ‘one substance with the Father.’ Christians today repeat the condemnation in the Creed precisely formulated during the council of Nicaea. The Pope in the first homily has effectively reinstated the idea that Jesus is divine (as well as human) according to Christian believers.

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The Orthodox Church is feeling relieved. The leader of Orthodox Christians, Patriarch Bartholomew, was uncertain that he was going to welcome Pope Francis to Nicaea in 2025. With this statement by the new Pope, it seems almost certain the joint celebration will occur.

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This is not only a religious point. Moscow and Constantinople have been at odds especially because of the War in Ukraine (2022-2025). Constantinople has supported the Ukrainians and granted them religious autonomy (Tomos of Autocephaly 2019) while Moscow believes Ukraine should depend on the Moscow Patriarchate.

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Pope Leo XIV condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine in a statement in the spring of 2022. His point of view is unambiguous and clear. He has rung Zelensky to indicate his support for Ukraine on 12th May 2025 and is planning a trip to war-torn Ukraine.

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The new Pope feels sympathy towards the biblical precision and antiquity of Orthodox theology. These are academic points which had also inspired Pope Benedict XV (Ratzinger) in his dialogue with Constantinople.

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Leo XIV is an Augustinian monk as he reminded his listeners during his first sermon as Pope. Saint Augustine (354-430) is notable for exceptional opinions, writings, and theology. One may single out two eccentricities. He is the first Latin writer to admit to not being able to read Greek (Confessions 1.13-14). He marks the first intellectual separation between West and East in Europe. This is complicated given the New Testament was written in Greek. Indeed, Western Christianity depends on his mistranslation of Romans 5:12 which defined his doctrine of original sin.

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Martin Luther (1483-1546) was an Augustinian monk. As such he made a pilgrimage to Rome, and he was shocked by the higher clergy’s behaviour. Augustinians are thus at the heart of the division between Protestant and Catholic Europe. However, it points to something deeper: the mutual distrust between monks and priests within the Catholic Church.

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Despite all these points and divergences, one element  which transforms individuals  into practicing Christians  is the recital of the creed formulated at Nicaea in 325. The Creed was then updated in Constantinople in 381 confirming the divine status of the Holy Ghost. This completed the dogma of the Trinity.

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In the fourth century most theologians were operating and writing within a pagan society. They did not fear confrontation with a non-Christian society. The return to the fourth century means accepting that Christianity is a religion well prepared to discuss and confront people of other beliefs or with secular inclinations.

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Christian churches are not meant to be mutual admiration societies. Pope Leo XIV is indicating that they are groups of people who share beliefs formulated 1700 years ago at the Council of Nicaea.