How often do you have the chance to sit down with a cardinal, archbishops, bishops, clergy, theologians, and lay leaders, from the Orthodox and Catholic traditions—not across a formal conference table, but in joint prayer or over coffee, meals, and evening conversations with others who deeply care about the unity of the Church?

That spirit has defined the Orientale Lumen conferences for the last three decades, even
continuing virtually through the pandemic. This summer the gathering returns for its thirtieth meeting, in person.

Orientale Lumen XXX will take place July 13–15, 2026, at the Saint John Paul II National Shrine in Washington, DC. Since 1997 this event has been where Eastern Orthodox, Eastern Catholic, and Roman Catholic Christians come together not only for theological discussion, but also for genuine friendship and prayer. The Washington Theological Consortium is happy to co-sponsor this year’s conference.

This year’s conference comes at an important moment in ecumenical dialogue. Discussions will focus on recent agreements between Catholics and Orthodox concerning primacy and synodality, and on how these agreements can be lived concretely in the life of the Church.

The theme is “Ecumenical Crossroad: Consensus Achieved – What’s Next?”

Among the speakers attending in-person will be:

• Cardinal Seán O’Malley, retired Archbishop of Boston
• Archbishop Flavio Pace, Secretary of the Dicastery for Promoting Christian
  Unity in Rome
• Bishop Anthony Vrame of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese, Director of Holy
  Cross Press
• Bishop John Michael Botean of the Romanian Catholic Diocese of Canton 
  its thirty-year history.
• Reader Jack Figel, founder of the conference.

Voices will also participate virtually by video, including:

• Metropolitan Job of Pisidia, Orthodox co-chair of the International Dialogue between the Catholic and Orthodox Churches, and
• Archbishop Borys Gudziak of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Archeparchy of
  Philadelphia.
  As Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew said in a gathering in Constantinople, these
  conferences are a “grass roots” movement among lay persons and clergy which provide a
  forum for Christians to learn about the “light from the east.” Over the years, Orientale Lumen
  has welcomed many respected figures from East and West, including Metropolitan

There are multiple registration options (full 3-day attendance, 1-day attendance, and discounts for clergy, faculty, and students).

Flyer for the event | Agenda for the event

Find out more and register here.