CNS photo/Vatican Media
The Nicene Creed is more than a statement of faith -- it is a powerful sign of unity among Christians, Pope Francis said as he welcomed young priests and monks from Oriental Orthodox Churches to the Vatican.
The presentation of Jesus in the temple of Jerusalem shows that God's closeness to humanity is not confined to a place of worship but is manifested in his living among people, Pope Francis said.
"The horror of the extermination of millions of Jews and people of other faiths" before and during World War II "can neither be forgotten nor denied," Pope Francis said.
Celebrating the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, Pope Francis reaffirmed the Catholic Church's willingness to accept a proposal for a common date for celebrating Easter in the West and the East.