What must be promoted, first and foremost, said the Pope, "is the ecumenism of love that directly comes from the new commandment left by Jesus to His disciples". "Love accompanied by consistent gestures inspires trust, opens the hearts and eyes. The dialogue of love, by its very nature, promotes and enlightens the dialogue of truth". According to Benedict XVI, "it is certainly not relativism or an easy, false irenics that solve the ecumenical quest. Actually they distort and bewilder it". Then, the "ecumenical background" must be "improved, starting from the basics of Christian faith, that is, the announcement of God’s love that revealed itself in the face of Jesus Christ and at the same time revealed man to man in Christ and made him understand his extremely lofty calling". These two essential dimensions "are supported by practical cooperation amidst Christians". Finally, the Holy Father confirmed "the very special importance of spiritual ecumenism. Therefore, the Papal Council for the Promotion of the Unity of Christians rightly works at it, relying on prayer, love, the conversion of the heart for a personal and joint renewal".
