By Hannah Brockhaus
Rome Newsroom, Apr 19, 2025 / 06:00 am
Two families of mixed Catholic and Orthodox Christian members are looking forward to celebrating Easter together on the same date in 2025 as they also hope to one day see greater unity among all Christians.
Joseph Lovskiy, who is the only Catholic in his Russian Orthodox family, summed it up with one word: “joy.”
From the city of Yekaterinburg in Russia, Lovskiy’s wife, three children, and six grandchildren are all Russian Orthodox. His youngest son is a priest of the Russian Orthodox Church.
“Since Easter falls on the same date this year, the only feeling one can have is joy,” he told CNA in a written interview translated from Russian.
Like Lovskiy, Father Richard Sofatzis, a Catholic priest in the Archdiocese of Sydney, Australia, also grew up in a mixed Catholic and Orthodox environment, since his father is Greek Orthodox and his mother, who died in 2017, was Catholic.
“Unity between … as John Paul II said, the two lungs of Christianity, East and West, has been something that’s been very dear to me. I’ve prayed for it many times,” Sofatzis told CNA by phone. “I guess I think it’s something we can work towards, aspire to, but it does seem at times very difficult to obtain.”
The Council of Nicaea: A Milestone in Christian History
This year, we commemorate the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea, a pivotal event in Church history that took place from May to August 325. One of the significant outcomes of this council was the establishment of a uniform method for determining the date of Easter annually. Subsequently, in 1582, Pope Gregory XIII introduced further reforms, leading to the adoption of the Gregorian calendar by the Catholic Church.
However, following the schism between the Catholic and Orthodox churches in 1054, Orthodox countries did not endorse the changes to the calendar implemented by Pope Gregory. Consequently, major feasts like Christmas and Easter are often observed on different dates by the two churches due to their use of distinct calendars. Nevertheless, rare instances occur when the calendars coincide, as is set to happen for Easter in 2025.
Reflecting on the significance of the Council of Nicaea and subsequent Church councils, Sofatzis notes their remarkable ability to navigate through intense debates and reach a unified consensus on matters of faith and doctrine. He views this unity as an inspiring example for all Christians striving for theological harmony.
While acknowledging the challenges hindering the full reconciliation of the Catholic and Orthodox churches, Sofatzis emphasizes the importance of striving towards a common Easter date as a step towards unity. He believes that despite the complexities at the hierarchical level, individuals can foster ecumenism through their daily interactions and relationships.
Embracing Unity Through Shared Traditions
Lovskiy, who comes from a diverse religious background with a Catholic mother and Russian Orthodox father, made a conscious decision with his wife to raise their children in the Orthodox Church, honoring their shared heritage and traditions.
