ARCHBISHOP OSHAGAN REPRESENTS HOLY SEE OF CILICIA AT ORIENTAL ORTHODOX AND ROMAN CATHOLIC DIALOGUE
The 8th
meeting of the Oriental Orthodox and Roman Catholic dialogue took place January
24 to 29 at the Vatican. The Armenian Church was represented by Archbishops
Khajag Barsamian and Yeznik Petrossian from the Holy See of Etchmiadzin, and
Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan and Bishop Nareg Alemezian from the Holy See of
Cilicia.
Representatives
of the Oriental Orthodox family of churches met to discuss the agenda on
January 25. In the evening of the same day they attended a service for the Week
of Prayer for Christian Unity, presided over by Pope Benedict XVI at the
Basilica of St. Paul Outside-the-Walls. During the next three days, the Joint
Committee discussed the theme “Communion and Communication among the Churches
before the Middle of the 5th Century: The Role of the Clergy.”
The
meeting ended with a dinner offered by Cardinal Kurt Koch, the newly appointed
President of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity. Pope
Benedict XVI received the members of the commission in private audience on
Friday, January 28. The
following is the official press release that was issued.
INTERNATIONAL JOINT COMMISSION FOR THEOLOGICAL DIALOGUE
BETWEEN THE CATHOLIC
CHURCH AND
THE ORIENTAL ORTHODOX CHURCHES
REPORT
Eighth Meeting
Rome, January 25
to 28, 2011
The eighth meeting of the International
Joint Commission for Theological Dialogue between the Catholic Church and the Oriental Orthodox
Churches took place in Rome from January 25 to 28,
2011. The meeting was hosted by His Eminence Cardinal Kurt Koch, the new
President of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity. It was chaired jointly by Cardinal Koch and by
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
Antiochian Syrian Orthodox Church, the Armenian Apostolic Church (Catholicosate
of All Armenians), the Armenian Apostolic Church (Holy See of Cilicia), the Coptic
Orthodox Church, the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church, and the Malankara
Orthodox Syrian Church. No representative of the Eritrean Orthodox
Tewahdo Church
was able to attend.
The two delegations met separately on
January 25, and held plenary sessions each day from January 26 to January 28.
Each day of the plenary sessions began with a common celebration of Morning
Prayer. In his remarks at the beginning of the first session, Cardinal Koch
welcomed the group to Rome,
and said that “I have had an enduring ecumenical interest in the Oriental
Orthodox Churches, and in your history, your life of faith, your liturgy and
theology. I have always felt very at
home in your presence. Despite our
longstanding separation, we share a solid basis of faith and ecclesial order.” With great sadness the Cardinal also informed
the group of the death of one of the Ethiopian Orthodox representatives, Father
Megabe Biluy Seife Selassie. He has been
replaced by Archdeacon Daniel Seife Michael, an instructor at Holy Trinity
Theological University
College in Addis Ababa.
The cardinal also offered congratulations to Father John Matthews who,
since the last meeting, was ordained a bishop and given the name Metropolitan
Dr. Youhanan Mar Demetrios, Assistant Metropolitan of Delhi, and to His Eminence
Nareg Alemezian who has been elevated to the rank of Archbishop. Metropolitan Bishoy took the occasion to
congratulate Cardinal Koch on his appointment as President of the Pontifical
Council, and to express his gratitude to Cardinal Walter Kasper for his
co-chairmanship of the commission until his retirement last year. He also stressed that the official name of
his family of churches should always be “Oriental Orthodox Churches.”
At this meeting, the members continued
their study – in a very friendly atmosphere -- of the ways in which the
churches expressed their communion with one another until the middle of the
fifth century and the role played by monasticism in this. The papers presented
included “The Communion and Communication that Existed Between Our Churches Until
the Mid-Fifth Century of Christian History As Well As the Role Played by
Monasticism: The Tradition of Antioch,”
by Archbishop Theophilus George Saliba; “The Petrine Office and the Question,
Who Established the Church of Rome?: Coptic Orthodox Perspective,” by
Metropolitan Bishoy of Damiette, “Communion and Communication Among the
Churches in the Tradition of Alexandria,” by Father Mark Sheridan, OSB; “The
Role of Monasticism in the Development and Communion of the Churches,” by
Father Columba Stewart, OSB; “Communion and Communication that Existed Between
Our Churches Until the Mid-Fifth Century of Christian History and the Role
Played by Monasticism: The Ethiopian Experience,” by Archdeacon Daniel Seife
Michael Feleke; “The Reception of the Ecumenical Councils in the Armenian
Tradition (VIII-XV cc.)” and “Communion and Communication,” by Archbishop
Yeznik Petrossian; “Communion and Communication Between the St. Thomas
Christians of India and Other Churches till Mid-Fifth Century A.D. – Indian
Orthodox Perspective,” by Metropolitan Dr. Gabriel Mar Gregorios; “Communion
and Communication Between the St. Thomas Christians of India and Other Churches
till Mid-Fifth Century A.D. – A Syrian Orthodox Perspective,” by Metropolitan
Dr Kuriakose Theophilose; “Communion and Communication Among the Churches: Rome
in the Pre-Constantinian Era,” by Prof. Dietmar W. Winkler.
In these various studies, the members of
the commission focused more precisely on the concrete expressions of communion
and communication among the churches before the separation. Indeed, communion was expressed primarily
through various forms of communication. It
was noted that in the pre-Constantinian period, there was an intense
communication among the churches, especially in times of crisis. There was a common sense of responsibility
towards the other churches that was found most clearly in the exchange of
letters and synodal decisions. These
provided a means of conveying encouragement and challenge to one another, as
well as theological clarifications. This
exchange was mutual among the various churches.
It exemplified a remarkable degree of communion among local communities in
a process that lacked central direction after 250 years of expansion throughout
the Roman Empire and beyond, including Armenia,
Persia, Ethiopia and India. The universal phenomenon of Christian
asceticism, present from the earliest times, found expression in the monastic
movements, emerging from the late third century in all parts of the Christian
world. There was a fruitful exchange of
monastic spiritual writings emanating from the Christian Orient, even across
doctrinal divisions.
In the evening of January 25, the members
attended a Vespers service in the Basilica of Saint Paul’s Outside the Walls
presided over by His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI for the conclusion of the Week
of Prayer for Christian Unity. In his
homily the Holy Father made reference to the presence of the members of the
dialogue, and said, “We entrust the success of your meeting to the Lord, that
it may be another step forward towards our longed-for unity". On Thursday evening January 27, Cardinal Koch
hosted a dinner for the dialogue members and staff of the Pontifical Council
for Promoting Christian Unity at the Domus
Sanctae Marthae in the Vatican.
Pope
Benedict XVI received the members of the commission in private audience on
Friday morning January 28. Cardinal Koch
and Metropolitan Bishoy thanked the Pope for receiving the commission, and
Metropolitan Bishoy presented a Coptic icon of Saint Mary the Mother of God to
him on behalf of the members of the commission.
The Pope then greeted the members, saying “It is with great joy that I
welcome you, the members of the Joint International Commission for Theological
Dialogue between the Catholic Church and the Oriental Orthodox
Churches. Through you I
gladly extend fraternal greetings to my venerable Brothers, the Heads of the
Oriental Orthodox Churches. I am
grateful for the work of the Commissionwhich began in January
2003 as a shared initiative of the ecclesial authorities of the family of the Oriental Orthodox Churches
and the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity. As you know, the
first phase of the dialogue, from 2003 to 2009, resulted in the common text
entitled Nature, Constitution and Mission
of the Church. The document outlined aspects of fundamental ecclesiological
principles that we share and identified issues requiring deeper reflection in
successive phases of the dialogue. We can only be grateful that after almost
fifteen hundred years of separation we still find agreement about the
sacramental nature of the Church, about apostolic succession in priestly
service and about the impelling need to bear witness to the Gospel of our Lord
and Saviour Jesus Christ in the world. In the second phase the Commission has
reflected from an historical perspective on the ways in which the Churches
expressed their communion down the ages. During the meeting this week you are
deepening your study of the communion and communication that existed between
the Churches until the mid-fifth century of Christian history, as well as the
role played by monasticism in the life of the early Church. We must be
confident that your theological reflection will lead our Churches not only to
understand each other more deeply, but resolutely to continue our journey
decisively towards the full communion to which we are called by the will of
Christ. For this intention we have lifted up our common prayer during the Week
of Prayer for Christian Unity which has just ended. Many of you come from
regions where Christian individuals and communities face trials and
difficulties that are a cause of deep concern for us all. All Christians need
to work together in mutual acceptance and trust in order to serve the cause of
peace and justice. May the intercession and example of the many martyrs and
saints, who have given courageous witness to Christ in all our Churches,
sustain and strengthen you and your Christian communities. With sentiments of
fraternal affection I invoke upon all of you the grace and peace of our Lord
Jesus Christ.”
The ninth meeting of the International Joint
Commission will take place in Addis
Ababa, Ethiopia,
at the invitation of His Holiness Abune Paulos I, Patriarch of the Ethiopian
Tewahido Orthodox Church. The members
will plan to arrive on Monday January 16, 2012, and depart on Monday January
23. The two delegations will meet
separately on Tuesday January 17, and in plenary session on Wednesday, Thursday
and Saturday, January 18, 19, and 21.
They will participate in the celebration of Epiphany (Timkat) on January 20, and in Sunday
liturgies on January 22.
The members concluded with joyful thanks
to God, the Father Son and Holy Spirit, for what has been accomplished at this
meeting. * * *
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,
Beirut, Lebanon; H.E. Kuriakose Theophilose, Metropolitan of the
Malankara Syrian Orthodox Theological Seminary and President of the Ecumenical
Secretariat of the Malankara Syrian Orthodox Church in India, Ernakulam, India;
Armenian Apostolic Church:
Catholicosate of all Armenians: H.E.
Khajag Barsamian, Archbishop of the Eastern Diocese of the USA, New York; H.E.
Archbishop Yeznik Petrossian, General Secretary of Bible Society of Armenia, Etchmiadzin,
Armenia;
Armenian Apostolic Church: Holy See of Cilicia: H.E. Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan,
Prelate of the Eastern Prelacy in the USA, New York; H.G. Archbishop Nareg
Alemezian, Ecumenical Officer of the Holy See of Cilicia, Antelias, Lebanon;
Coptic Orthodox Church: H.E. Anba Bishoy (co-chair), Metropolitan of
Damiette, Egypt, General Secretary of the Holy Synod of the Coptic Orthodox
Church; Rev. Fr. Shenouda Maher Ishak, West Henrietta, New York, USA;
H.G. Bishop Daniel of the Coptic Orthodox Church in Sydney, Australia
(observer);
Eritrean Orthodox Tewahdo Church: Rev. Fr. Kaleab Gebreselassie Gebru,
Eritrean Orthodox Tewahdo Patriarchate, Asmara,
Eritrea (unable
to attend);
Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church: Archdeacon Daniel Seife Michael Feleke
of Holy Trinity
Theological University
College in Addis Ababa; Mr. Lique Hiruyan Getachew
Guadie (unable to attend);
Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church: H.E. Metropolitan Dr. Gabriel Mar Gregorios,
President of the Department of Ecumenical Relations, Diocese of Trivandrum,
India; H. G. Metropolitan Dr. Youhanon Mar Demetrios, Assistant Bishop of Delhi
(co-secretary), Delhi, India.
Representatives of the Catholic Church
His Eminence Cardinal Kurt Koch
(co-chair), President of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity;
Most Reverend Paul-Werner Scheele, Bishop
Emeritus of Würzburg, Germany;
Most Reverend Youhanna Golta, Patriarchal
Auxiliary Bishop of the Coptic Catholic Patriarchate, Cairo, Egypt;
Most Reverend Jules Mikhael Al-Jamil,
Procurator of the Syrian Catholic Patriarchate to the Holy See and Apostolic
Visitator in Europe, Rome;
Most Reverend Peter Marayati, Armenian
Catholic Archbishop of Aleppo,
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. Columba Stewart, OSB, Executive
Director, Hill Museum and Manuscript Library, St. John’s Abbey and University,
Collegeville, Minnesota, USA;
Rev. Fr. Ronald G. Roberson, CSP,
Associate Director of the Secretariat for Ecumenical and Interreligious
Affairs, US Conference of Catholic Bishops, Washington, DC, USA;
Rev. Fr. Paul Rouhana, OLM, Université
Saint-Esprit, Kaslik, Jounieh,
Lebanon (unable
to attend);
Rev. Fr. Mark Sheridan, OSB, 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, Consultant to
the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, Salzburg, Austria.
Rev. Fr. Gabriel Quicke, Official of the
Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, Rome (co-secretary). Rome, January 28, 2011
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