INFORMATION SERVICE 2018 N. 151

The origin of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity is closely linked with the Second Vatican Council. On 5 June 1960, Saint Pope John XXIII established a 'Secretariat for Promoting Christian Unity' as one of the preparatory commissions for the Council.
In 1966, Saint Pope Paul VI confirmed the Secretariat as a permanent dicastery of the Holy See. In 1974, a Commission for Religious Relations with the Jews was established within the Secretariat. In 1988, Saint Pope John Paul II changed the Secretariat's stares to Pontifical Council. The Pontifical Council is entrusted with promoting an authentic ecumenical spirit in the Catholic Church based on the principles of Unitatis redintegratio and the guidelines of its Ecumenical Directory first published in 1967, and later reissued in 1993. The Pontifical Council also promotes Christian unity by strengthening in 1967, and later reissued in 1993. The Pontifical Council also promotes Chtistian unity by strengthening relationship with other Churches and Ecclesial Communities, particularly through theological dialogue. The Pontifical Council appoints Catholic observers to various ecumenical gatherings and in turn invites observers or 'fraternal delegates' of other Churches or Ecclesial Communities to major events of the Catholic Church.