Bucharest, Sep 20 /Agerpres/ – The 60 Eastern Catholic bishops from Europe gathered in Oradea, between September 16 and 19, send, concluding their meeting with a plead for communion and solidarity, to humanity and brotherhood, in current vulnerable times for faith, marked by depression and emotional distance, the development of technologies and the fragility of contemporary families, reads the press release of the Greek Catholic Diocese of Oradea, the host of the event.

“In these times, marked by wars, divisions and confrontations, but also by a growing indifference or superficiality towards faith and the Christian message, we are all called to strengthen the unity and solidarity between our Churches, in order to offer a convincing witness, full of love and hope, of the Gospel and of salvation. Priests and bishops must help the faithful to live in communion and in service, reflecting on Trinitarian unity and love. We raise our voices to uphold truth and justice, and we we are committed to spreading the Light and hope that we carry in our souls,” the diocese’s press release states.

The 25th Meeting of Eastern Catholic Bishops in Europe had as its theme “The relationship between the bishop and the priests – fraternity and humanity. The synod on synodality”.

The central theme inspired the discussions of the participants, in preparation for the second session of the 16th General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, scheduled between October 2-27, 2024, in the Vatican.

The meeting of the Eastern Catholic Bishops of Europe was organized under the auspices of the Council of Bishops’ Conferences of Europe (CCEE), at the invitation of the Greek-Catholic bishop of Oradea, Virgil Bercea, being the second meeting hosted in Oradea, after the one in 2011. The meeting took place at five years since the beatification of the Romanian Greek-Catholic bishops who died for their faith during the communist regime.

The meeting was attended by 60 bishops and priests, representing the Eastern Catholic Churches from: Ukraine, Hungary, Slovakia, Cyprus, Belarus, Italy, Greece, France, Austria, Spain, Bulgaria, Turkey, North Macedonia, Serbia, Croatia and Romania. Latin rite Catholic bishops from Romania and the Republic of Moldova were also present.

The Eastern Catholic Bishops of Europe meet annually, the next meeting being scheduled in Vienna (Austria), in September 2025.