To the Reverend Clergy of the Metropolis of Atlanta:

Recognizing that Pope Leo XIV and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew's historic joint commemoration of the 1700th anniversary of the First Ecumenical Council is an opportunity to educate our faithful, our Archdiocese ministries, in collaboration with Holy Cross School of Theology, have created a clergy-ready hub of materials at www.goarch.org/nicaea. Here you'll find background on the First Ecumenical Council, sermon prompts, bulletin ready content, Sunday School lesson plans, and a podcast about Nicaea. Highlights include:

• “The Importance of the Council of Nicaea (325 AD)” (Dr. James C. Skedros, Holy Cross): A clear, teachable primer on Arius, homoousios, and what the Council decided—ready to quote for homilies, adult education, and bulletin notes.

• “According to the Scriptures” (Biblical grounding of the Creed): Scripture rich support showing how the Creed is anchored in the Bible—ideal for Sunday school and adult study.

• “Julian Calendar vs. Gregorian Calendar”: Fascinating insight about the events of the 1600s led to the Gregorian calendar and a missed opportunity of a common date of Easter with the change of calendars. You can place in the bulletin or use to address common parish questions about the calculation of Pascha and why East and West celebrate differently.

• “Kids Sermon Series: 1700 Years from the First Ecumenical Council”: Student and teacher editions of ready-to go lesson plans and activities to reinforce the meaning of the First Ecumenical Council.

• “A Sermon on Nicaea 1700”: Ready to adapt reflections connecting Scripture and Tradition—useful for a standalone homily or a short series.

• Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew's encyclical on the historic commemoration. Ideal to quote in sermons, newsletters, and adult classes.

• “Nicaea at 1700” Podcast/Webinar (Holy Cross Scriptorium; hosted by Dr. James C. Skedros): 18 episodes with Holy Cross faculty and Orthodox scholars—ideal for an adult study series or Orthodoxy 101 style lectures.

The National Ministries team and HCHC worked together so that clergy are provided with an extensive set of high-quality materials to educate the faithful as we mark this historic commemoration by Pope Leo XIV and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew.