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Mariam Beria, from the Georgian Orthodox Church, spoke of a “great opportunity to understand each other’s different denominations, differences, diversity. We study together, we learn together, and we practice together.”
She joined her colleagues as they visited various Roman Catholic dicasteries, observed the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, and met Pope Leo XIV as part of a general audience.
Rev. Jabu Jay Singh Mani, from the Church of South India, said: "We are coming here to understand the Roman Catholic Church and its various ministries, and to understand what they are doing for ecumenism.”
Each year, the materials for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity are jointly prepared by the World Council of Churches and the Roman Catholic Church.
Hannah Sophie Kehrein, from the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Kurhessen-Waldeck, said: “Being in Rome, the eternal city, is always a good ecumenical opportunity—getting to know better the Roman Catholic Church with all its dicasteries, its stunning buildings, and also the history that we share.”
The group immersed itself in the life of the Catholic Church, meeting cardinals, praying together, and confronting the differences that still mark Christian communities.
Rev. Lucien Janera, from the Malagasy Lutheran Church in Madagascar, said: “I am blessed to be part of this trip. I have learned how Christians come together. Unity is necessary. I can’t wait to share my experience from here back home.”
Rev. Dr Kuzipa Nalwamba, WCC programme director for Unity, Mission, and Ecumenical Formation, shared a rhetoric question that guided the students: “How do ancient roots inform our future growth? This question guided the immersive study visit to Rome, a city emblematic of Christian history and dialogue. The journey, aligned with the WCC’s ecumenical formation aims, sought to bridge tradition and innovation, sowing seeds for a new generation of ecumenical encounter and learning.”
"Surrounded by the spiritual heritage of Rome and the Vatican, Bossey students felt the weight and warmth of a tradition that reaches back to Christianity’s earliest days, before divisions emerged. Their first audience with the Pope was a moment of pure joy, leaving a lasting imprint on their hearts," said Fr. Dr Lawrence Iwuamadi, academic dean of the Ecumenical Institute at Bossey.
Video: Bossey students in Rome
Ecumenism and its lasting ripple effect (Vatican News, 23 January 2026)
Bossey students to visit to Rome and the Vatican (WCC news release, 15 January 2026)
