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ANTELIAS: Theological Dialogue between the Catholic Church and OOCs

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  • ANTELIAS: Theological Dialogue between the Catholic Church and OOCs

    PRESS RELEASE
    Catholicosate of Cilicia
    Communication and Information Department
    Contact: V.Rev.Fr.Krikor Chiftjian, Communications Officer
    Tel: (04) 410001, 410003
    Fax: (04) 419724
    E- mail: [email protected]
    Web: http://www.armenianorthodoxchurch.org/

    PO Box 70 317
    Antelias-Lebanon

    Armenian version: http://www.armenianorthodoxchurch.org/v04/doc/Arme nian.htm

    THE ARMENIAN CHURCH PARTICIPATES IN THE FIFTH MEETING OF THE THEOLOGICAL
    DIALOGUE BETWEEN THE CATHOLIC CHURCH AND THE ORIENTAL ORTHODOX CHURCHES

    The fifth meeting of the International Joint Commission for Theological
    Dialogue between the Catholic Church and the Oriental Orthodox Churches took
    place in St. Ephrem Syrian Orthodox Monastery in Maarrat Saydnaya,
    Damascus-Syria, January 27 to February 2, 2008, at the kind invitation of
    His Holiness Patriarch Ignatius Zakka I Iwas of the Syrian Orthodox Church
    of Antioch and All the East. The meeting was chaired jointly by His
    Eminence Cardinal Walter Kasper, President of the Pontifical Council for
    Promoting Christian Unity and His Eminence Metropolitan Bishoy of Damiette,
    General Secretary of the Holy Synod of the Coptic Orthodox Church.

    Joining delegates from the Catholic Church were representatives of the
    following Oriental Orthodox Churches: the Coptic Orthodox Church, the Syrian
    Orthodox Church, the Armenian Apostolic Church-Catholicosate of All
    Armenians, the Armenian Apostolic Church-Holy See of Cilicia, and the
    Ethiopian Orthodox Church. Representatives of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian
    Church and the Eritrean Orthodox Church were unable to attend.

    On behalf of the Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia Archbishop Oshagan
    Choloyan (Prelate of the Eastern Prelacy in the USA) and Bishop Nareg
    Alemezian (Ecumenical Officer) participated in the meeting. The
    Catholicosate of All Armenians was represented by Archbishop Mesrob
    Krikorian, (Primate of Vienna and Patriarchal Delegate for Central Europe
    and Scandinavia) and Archbishop Khajag Barsamian (Primate of the Eastern
    Diocese of the USA).

    The two delegations met separately before the first plenary session, which
    took place on January 29. The bulk of the meeting was devoted to the
    examination of a draft document produced by the drafting committee, entitled
    "Nature, Constitution and Mission of the Church." The drafting committee
    will elaborate the document in the light of the discussion at this plenary
    session and present a revised text at the next meeting. In addition, two
    papers were presented on the goal of our dialogue

    On the morning of January 31, on behalf of the Commission, His Holiness the
    Syrian Orthodox Patriarch and His Eminence Walter Cardinal Kasper were
    received by His Excellency Dr. Bashar Al-Assad, President of the Syrian Arab
    Republic. His Eminence Metropolitan Bishoy was unable to attend for health
    reasons.

    On the evening of January 31, the members of the commission attended a
    concert in the patriarchal cathedral. The event was followed by a banquet in
    the seminary that was attended by government officials as well as Muslim and
    other Christian leaders.

    The sixth meeting of the International Commission will be hosted by the
    Catholic Church in Rome in January 25-31, 2009.

    ##

    January 27-February 2, 2008, the fifth meeting of the International Joint
    Commission for Theological Dialogue Between the Catholic Church and the
    Oriental Orthodox Churches took place in Syria. On behalf of the Armenian
    Catholicosate of Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan (Prelate of the Eastern Prelacy
    in the USA) and Bishop Nareg Alemezian (Ecumenical Officer) participated in
    the meeting. Here is the report of the Commission meeting.

    REPORT
    The Fifth Meeting of the International Joint Commission for Theological
    Dialogue
    Between the Catholic Church and the Oriental Orthodox Churches
    Maarrat Saydnaya, Syria, January 27 to February 2, 2008

    The fifth meeting of the International Joint Commission for Theological
    Dialogue between the Catholic Church and the Oriental Orthodox Churches took
    place at St Ephrem Syrian Orthodox Monastery in Maarrat Saydnaya, Syria,
    January 27 to February 2, 2008, at the kind invitation of His Holiness
    Patriarch Ignatius Zakka I Iwas of the Syrian Orthodox Church of Antioch and
    All the East. The meeting was chaired jointly by His Eminence Cardinal
    Walter Kasper, President of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian
    Unity and His Eminence Metropolitan Bishoy of Damiette, General Secretary of
    the Holy Synod of the Coptic Orthodox Church.

    Joining delegates from the Catholic Church were representatives of the
    following Oriental Orthodox Churches: the Coptic Orthodox Church, the Syrian
    Orthodox Church, the Armenian Apostolic Church (Catholicosate of All
    Armenians), the Armenian Apostolic Church (Holy See of Cilicia), and the
    Ethiopian Orthodox Church. Representatives of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian
    Church and the Eritrean Orthodox Church were unable to attend.

    The two delegations met separately before the first plenary session, which
    took place on January 29. The bulk of the meeting was devoted to the
    examination of a draft document produced by the drafting committee, entitled
    "Nature, Constitution and Mission of the Church." There was broad agreement
    about the main lines of the draft document. The drafting committee will
    elaborate the document in the light of the discussion at this plenary
    session and present a revised text at the next meeting. The document
    mentions points for further study and discussion that will be taken up in
    future meetings.

    In addition, papers were presented by His Eminence Archbishop Khajag
    Barsamian and by Rev. Fr. Frans Bouwen on the goal of our dialogue. Each
    day began with a prayer service using material that had been produced for
    the 2008 Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. Special prayers were offered
    for the repose of the soul of His Beatitude Archbishop Christodoulos of the
    Orthodox Church of Greece, who passed away on January 28.

    On the morning of January 30, His Holiness Patriarch Ignatius Zakka I Iwas
    invited the two other Patriarchs in Damascus to meet the dialogue members.
    These were His Beatitude Ignatius IV Hazim, Greek Orthodox Patriarch of
    Antioch and All the East, and His Beatitude Gregory III Laham, Greek
    Catholic Melkite Patriarch of Antioch and All the East. His Excellency the
    Apostolic Nuncio to Syria, Archbishop Giovanni Battista Morandini, also was
    present. During this encounter the Syrian Orthodox Patriarch spoke about
    the new ecumenical relationship that has existed between Catholics and
    Oriental Orthodox in recent decades, and pointed in particular to the Joint
    Statement on Pastoral Issues signed by himself and His Holiness Pope John
    Paul II in 1984, noting that the agreement provided for cooperation saying
    that "by cooperating in priestly formation, that is, by sharing facilities
    in regard to the education of the clergy and having the service of
    professors of theology from either church, we hope that we will be able to
    understand each other better and that would help to bring us much closer.
    Now, with the formation of the official Catholic-Oriental Orthodox Joint
    Commission for Theological Dialogue, I believe that the way has been cleared
    for better relationships between the Roman Catholic Church and not only my
    Syrian Orthodox Church of Antioch, but the whole family of the Oriental
    Orthodox Churches. And may the prayer of our Lord Jesus Christ, 'that they
    may all be one; even as Thou, Father, art in me, and I in Thee, that they
    also may be in us,' (St. John 17:21) be fulfilled in all of us."

    On the morning of January 31, His Holiness the Syrian Orthodox Patriarch and
    His Eminence Walter Cardinal Kasper were received by His Excellency Dr.
    Bashar Al-Assad, President of the Syrian Arab Republic. His Eminence
    Metropolitan Bishoy was unable to attend for health reasons. The Patriarch
    and Cardinal were kindly received, and the President expressed a lively
    interest in promoting good relations between Christians and Muslims, and
    fraternal relations and cooperation among the various Christian churches.
    The importance of the Christian presence in the Middle East was emphasized.
    The Patriarch and the Cardinal expressed their gratitude for Syria's
    reception of many refugees from Iraq, and for promoting conditions in which
    Christians can live in religious freedom in this country.

    On the evening of January 31, the members of the commission attended a
    concert in the patriarchal cathedral. The program was presented by the
    Damascus Symphony Orchestra and the combined choirs of St. Ephrem's Seminary
    and the patriarchal church in Damascus. The event was followed by a banquet
    in the seminary that was attended by government officials as well as Muslim
    and other Christian leaders.

    The members of the International Dialogue were most grateful to His Holiness
    the Syrian Orthodox Patriarch for his very generous hospitality during the
    meeting at St. Ephrem Monastery, and to the members of the monastic
    community, the nuns and the patriarch's staff for doing so much to promote a
    cordial atmosphere for the meeting.

    The sixth meeting of the International Commission will be hosted by the
    Catholic Church in Rome in January 2009. The day of arrival will be January
    24 or 25, enabling the members to take part in the Vespers Service at St.
    Paul's Outside the Walls Basilica for the conclusion of the Week of Prayer
    for Christian Unity. The two delegations will meet separately on Monday
    January 26. January 27, 28, 29 and 30 will be set aside for plenary
    sessions, with departures on Saturday January 31. At this session work will
    continue on the common statement on ecclesiology, and each side will present
    one paper "The Exercise of Communion Among the Churches in the First Five
    Centuries" and another paper "Reception of Councils in the First Five
    Centuries."

    The members of the Commission are:

    Representatives of the Oriental Orthodox Churches (in alphabetical order)

    Antiochian Syrian Orthodox Church: H.E. Mor Theophilus George Saliba,
    Archbishop of Mount Lebanon, Secretary of the Holy Synod of the Syrian
    Orthodox Church; H.E. Kuriakose Theophilose, Metropolitan of the Malankara
    Syrian Orthodox Theological Seminary, Kerala, India;
    Armenian Apostolic Church: Catholicosate of all Armenians: hhhhhH.E. Mesrob
    K. Krikorian, Archbishop of Vienna and Patriarchal Delegate for Central
    Europe and Scandinavia; H.E. Khajag Barsamian, Archbishop of the Eastern
    Diocese of the USA;
    Armenian Apostolic Church: Holy See of Cilicia: H.E. Archbishop Oshagan
    Choloyan, Archbishop of the Eastern Prelacy in the U.S.A.; H.G. Bishop Nareg
    Alemezian, Ecumenical Officer of the Holy See of Cilicia;
    Coptic Orthodox Church: H.E. Anba Bishoy (co-chair), Metropolitan of
    Damiette, General Secretary of the Holy Synod of the Coptic Orthodox Church;
    Rev. Fr. Shenouda Maher Ishak, West Henrietta, NY; H.G. Bishop Daniel of the
    Coptic Orthodox Church in Sydney, Australia (observer);
    Eritrean Orthodox Church: Rev. Fr. Kaleab Gebreselassie Gebru, Coordinator
    for Foreign Affairs (unable to attend);
    Ethiopian Orthodox Church: Rev. Fr. Megabe Biluy Seife Selassie Yohannes,
    Lique Hiruyan Getachew Guadie (unable to attend);
    Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church: H.E. Philipos Mar Eusebios, Metropolitan
    of Pathanamthitta (unable to attend), Rev. Dr. John Mathews (co-secretary),
    Secretary of the Committee on Inter-Church Relations (unable to attend).

    Representatives of the Catholic Church

    His Eminence Cardinal Walter Kasper (co-chair), President of the Pontifical
    Council for Promoting Christian Unity;
    Most Reverend Paul-Werner Scheele, Bishop Emeritus of Würzburg (Germany);
    Most Reverend Amba Kyrillos William, Coptic Catholic Bishop of Assiut,
    President of the Ecumenical Commission of the Catholic Church in Egypt;
    Most Reverend Jules Mikhael Al-Jamil, Procurator of the Syrian Catholic
    Patriarchate to the Holy See and Apostolic Visitator in Europe;
    Most Reverend Peter Marayati, Armenian Catholic Archbishop of Aleppo,
    President of the Ecumenical Commission of the Catholic Church in Syria;
    Most Reverend Woldetensae Ghebreghiorghis, Apostolic Vicar of Harar
    (Ethiopia), President of the Ecumenical Commission of the Catholic Church in
    Ethiopia and Eritrea;
    Rev. Fr. Frans Bouwen M.Afr., Consultant to the Pontifical Council for
    Promoting Christian Unity; Jerusalem;
    Rev. Fr. Philippe Luisier SJ, Pontifical Oriental Institute, Rome;
    Rev. Fr. Ronald Roberson, CSP, Associate Director of the Secretariat for
    Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs, US Conference of Catholic Bishops,
    Washington, DC;
    Rev. Fr. Paul Rouhana, OLM, Université Saint-Esprit, Kaslik, Jounieh,
    Lebanon (unable to attend);
    Rev. Fr. Mark Sheridan, OSB, Rector, Pontificio Ateneo S. Anselmo, Rome;
    Rev. Fr. Mathew Vellanickal, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of
    Changanacherry (India);
    Rev. Fr. Boghos Levon Zekiyan, Pontifical Oriental Institute, Rome;
    Prof. Dietmar W. Winkler, Paris Lodron Universität, Salzburg, Austria;
    Secretariat: Msgr. Johan Bonny (co-secretary), staff-member of the
    Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity.

    Maarrat Saydnaya, Syria, February 2, 2008
    ##
    The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia is one of the two Catholicosates of
    the Armenian Orthodox Church. For detailed information about the Ecumenical
    activities of the Cilician Catholicosate, you may refer to the web page of
    the Catholicosate, http://www.armenianorthodoxchurch.org The Cilician
    Catholicosate, the administrative center of the church is located in
    Antelias, Lebanon.

    From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
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