This year, 2025, marks the 1700^th anniversary of the first Council of Nicaea. According to Down and Connor priest Father Martin Magill of Saint John’s Parish, Belfast, “This is a landmark year in terms of the Nicene Creed, and it is an opportunity for Catholics and other Christian denominations to embrace our faith together as children of the Trinitarian God: the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.”

This Sunday, 5 October, Churches across Ireland will avail of their Sunday Mass, and service, to ‘Remember Nicaea’, and the Nicene Creed that came from it. The Creed is a prayer that Christians agree on and affirm together, across denomination and tradition, around the world and have done so for the last 1700 years. This is an opportunity for shared witness and reflection on the core beliefs that unite us in Christ.

This initiative was started by Co Antrim Christian, Claire Šego. For TheWay.ie, Father Magill speaks to Claire (pictured) on how this initiative came about:

Thanks for talking to me today Claire. Can you tell us about yourself?

Hello, I am Claire. I am married and we live in Carrickfergus with our two lovely little girls. I am a member of the Presbyterian Church and studied theology at Queens University, Belfast, before working with students with additional needs, and am now a stay at home mummy. I am involved in inter-church projects and outreach in my area.

What gave you an interest in Nicaea?

I have always known about Nicaea and the Creed, and learned more in undergraduate studies in theology. I am a member of a denomination that affirms the Nicene Creed as a statement of our faith, but we do not routinely use it as part of Sunday services. This particular interest in Nicaea now came really in response to a challenge I personally faced.

Can you tell us what that was?

I have been very moved by how our Lord Jesus prays in the Upper Room for all Christians to ‘be one’ so that the world would know that God had sent Him (John 17). It is such a challenge that in these precious moments just before His arrest and death, Jesus prayed for and desired unity among all His people. It is also a challenge as to the reason: our unity is not in the first place for the sake of our peace, but it is unity so that the world will be able to know Him as Saviour. What was important for Jesus ought to be important for us.

I was challenged and even troubled that even though the Lord Jesus wants His Church to be one, perhaps we do not much look like we are one. We have ecumenical dialogue and interchurch services, but we don’t have opportunities for the 95% of Christians who are not involved with these. That was the thrust for this initiative: that it may reach ‘regular folk in the pew’ in response to Jesus’ prayer.

What are Churches being invited to?

This Sunday, 5 October, churches across Ireland are invited to remember Nicaea and the Nicene Creed in whatever way is appropriate for them. It is an opportunity for reflection on the legacy left to us and focus on the core truths that unite us in Christ with millions of others believers. It is also a time to consider what is contained in the Creed, and our own personal belief in these truths.

Especially at this time of global conflict and instability, we ought to mark what unifies us in peace, and to do so in an explicit way.

Yes, that is exactly the hope of this prayer initiative. Christians are becoming more and more of a minority in an increasingly secular world, and Ireland is no different. In the Nicene Creed we have ‘tier one’ addressed and on these we stand together with brothers and sisters in the Faith, for the last 1700 years, across denomination and tradition, and around the world. In remembering Nicaea and the Creed, we can join wholeheartedly and without compromise with others. Perhaps this helps us recognise those who will be together with us in the Kingdom With No End.

ENDS