Pope Leo XIV prayed with the spiritual leader of the world’s Orthodox Christians, Patriarch Bartholomew, at the patriarchal church of Saint George in Istanbul Saturday, as part of his first trip abroad to Turkey.

At the church the pair prayed the doxology, a hymn of praise and glory to God, and signed a joint declaration vowing to take courageous steps on the path to unity including to find a common date for Easter.

They also expressed their deep concerns about the state of the world and determination not to lose hope.

Eastern and Western churches split in the Great Schism of 1054, a divide precipitated largely by disagreements over the primacy of the pope.

While ties have warmed, they remain divided and other schisms have formed.