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Eastern Prelacy: Second Meeting of Oriental Orthodox-Catholic Dialog

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  • Eastern Prelacy: Second Meeting of Oriental Orthodox-Catholic Dialog

    PRESS RELEASE
    Eastern Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America
    138 East 39th Street
    New York, NY 10016
    Tel: 212-689-7810
    Fax: 212-689-7168
    e-mail: [email protected]
    Website: http://www.armenianprelacy.org
    Contact: Iris Papazian

    SECOND MEETING OF ORIENTAL ORTHODOX-CATHOLIC DIALOGUE
    TAKES PLACE IN ROME

    ARCHBISHOP OSHAGAN CHOLOYAN AND BISHOP NAREG ALEMEZIAN
    REPRESENT THE HOLY SEE OF CILICIA

    NEW YORK, NY - The second meeting of Catholic and Oriental Orthodox
    representatives took place in Rome from January 26 to 29. The
    International Joint Commission for Theological Dialogue between
    the Catholic Church and the Oriental Orthodox Churches was under
    the co-chairmanship of H.E. Cardinal Walter Kasper, President of the
    Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, and H.E. Metropolitan
    Amba Bishoy of Damiette, General Secretary of the Holy Synod of the
    Coptic Orthodox Church.

    Representing the Catholicosate of Cilicia were H.E. Archbishop Oshagan
    Choloyan, Prelate of the Eastern Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic
    Church of America, and H.G. Bishop Nareg Alemezian, Ecumenical Officer
    of the Catholicosate of Cilicia. Representing the Catholicosate of
    All Armenians were: H.E. Archbishop Mesrob K. Krikorian, Pontifical
    Legate of Central Europe and H.E. Archbishop Khajag Barsamian,
    Primate of the Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern).

    "The meetings were cordial and the papers that were presented were
    thoughtful and informative and helpful for mutual understanding,"
    said Archbishop Oshagan.

    The meetings took place in Rome at the Domus Internationalis Paulus
    VI, hosted by the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian
    Unity. Delegates were present from the Catholic Church and from
    the following Oriental Orthodox Churches: Coptic Orthodox Church,
    Syrian Orthodox Church, Armenian Apostolic Church (Catholicosate of
    All Armenians), Armenian Apostolic Church (Catholicosate of Cilicia),
    Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church, Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church,
    and the Eritrean Orthodox Tewahido Church.

    The members of the Commission were received in audience by His Holiness
    Pope John Paul II on Friday, January 28. On behalf of the Commission
    Metropolitan Amba Bishoy addressed the Pope conveying the greetings
    of the heads of the Oriental Orthodox Churches. The Pope responded
    with a brief message of welcome and encouragement.

    The delegation also visited the recently inaugurated statue of St.
    Gregory the Illuminator at St. Peter Basilica at the Vatican. The
    18-foot, 26 ton statue of Carrara marble is the work of Khatchik
    Kazandjian of Paris. St. Gregory, the patron saint of the Armenian
    Church, holds in his right hand the Armenian Holy Cross of gilt bronze,
    and in his left hand the Holy Bible decorated with the symbols of
    the four Evangelists.

    As agreed at the first meeting of the International Joint Commission
    in Cairo in January 2004, the principal themes were: a) Understanding
    of Communion, Constitutive Elements of Communion; b) Particular and
    Universal Communion, Meaning of Sister Churches and of Church Families;
    c) Full Communion and Degrees of Communion, Common Ecumenical Goal.

    The next meeting of the International Joint Commission will be hosted
    by the Catholicosate of All Armenians at Holy Etchmiadzin, Armenia,
    January 25 to January 31, 2006.
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