▁October ▁ 2 0 1 6 , ▁Pope ▁Francis ▁comm emor ated ▁the ▁ 4 9 9 th ▁anni versary ▁of ▁the ▁Re formation ▁with ▁Luther ans ▁in ▁Sweden . ▁This ▁event ▁opened ▁the ▁ 5 0 0 th ▁year ▁since ▁the ▁Re formation ▁began ▁with ▁Martin ▁Luther ▁posting ▁his ▁Nin ety - five ▁Th eses ▁in ▁W itten berg ▁in ▁ 1 5 1 7 . ▁The ▁Pope ▁visited ▁the ▁ 9 5 0 - year - old ▁Lund ▁C athedral , ▁located ▁in ▁Sweden ' s ▁southern most ▁and ▁originally ▁Dan ish ▁province ▁of ▁Sc ania . ▁He ▁celebrated ▁an ▁ec umen ical ▁lit ur gy ▁together ▁with ▁the ▁president ▁of ▁the ▁Luther an ▁World ▁Federation ▁Bishop ▁Dr . ▁Mun ib ▁You nan . ▁Pope ▁Francis ▁expressed ▁his ▁shared ▁desire ▁with ▁leaders ▁of ▁the ▁Church ▁of ▁Sweden ▁to ▁achieve ▁full ▁commun ion , ▁but ▁said ▁more ▁ec umen ical ▁work ▁needed ▁to ▁be ▁done ▁to ▁work ▁towards ▁commun ion . ▁The ▁two ▁churches ▁called ▁for ▁foc using ▁on ▁what ▁un ites ▁their ▁faith ▁rather ▁than ▁what ▁separ ates ▁them ▁from ▁each ▁other ▁( P ope ▁Francis ▁previously ▁made ▁a ▁similar ▁treat y ▁with ▁the ▁Orth odox ▁Church .) ▁The ▁following ▁day ▁the ▁Pope ▁conducted ▁a ▁Catholic ▁mass ▁at ▁a ▁football ▁stad ium ▁in ▁Mal m ö . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 3 , ▁Mark ▁Hans on , ▁then ▁pres iding ▁bishop ▁of ▁the ▁Evangel ical ▁Luther an ▁Church ▁in ▁America ▁( EL CA ), ▁gre et ed ▁the ▁news