Pope Francis offered his prayers on Sunday as the first Pan-Orthodox Council opened with nine out of 14 churches.
After reciting the Angelus prayer the Pope had thousands of visitors in St Peter’s Square join him in praying a Hail Mary for “all of our Orthodox brothers and sisters”.
Pope Francis noted that the day was Pentecost on the Julian calendar which the Orthodox follow. “Let us unite ourselves to the prayer of our Orthodox brothers and sisters, invoking the Holy Spirit so that He would assist with His gifts the patriarchs, archbishops and bishops gathered in the council,” he said.
