Commission on Theological Dialogue between Catholic and Oriental Orthodox Churches

His Eminence Metropolitan Dr. Gabriel Mar Gregorios (Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church), His Grace Bishop Hovakim Manukian, and Rev. Fr. Shahe Ananyan (Armenian Apostolic Church: Catholicosate of all Armenian) Photo Credit: Rev. Dn. Aby Raju

Etchmiadzin,30 January, 2014: On January 28, the eleventh meeting of the International Joint Commission for Theological Dialogue between the Roman Catholic Church and the Oriental Orthodox Churches was convened in Kerala, India. Representing the Armenian Apostolic Church from the Catholicosate of All Armenians were His Grace Bishop Hovakim Manoukian, Primate of the Artik Diocese, Director of the Inter- Church Relations Department of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin; and Rev. Fr. Shahe Ananyan, Director of the Publications and Official Press Departments of the Mother See. His Eminence Archbishop Narek Alamezyan was representing the Catholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia.

During the five-day commission meeting, issues relating to the tradition of the services and pilgrimages of the Early Church will be discussed.

On January 28, the commission members held a separate meeting and discussed general issues. Bishop Hovakim presented the events organized for the 100th anniversary of the Armenia Genocide in the Mother See, also reflecting on the role of the Catholicos of All Armenians as one of the Presidents of the World Council of Churches.

His Eminence Archbishop Narek Alemezyan and Cardinal Kurt Koch; President of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, presided over a plenary session, where Rev. Fr. Shahe Ananyan presented the work “Jerusalem between Service and Pilgrimage: Study of the Armenian Tradition”.

On January 29, the members of the commission were received by His Holiness Baselius Mar Thoma Paulose II, Catholicos–Patriarch of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church, at a dinner.

The commission members will also attend an event celebrating the 200th anniversary of the Malankara Orthodox Church in India.

Source: Information Service of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin

CATHOLICOS OF THE EAST RECEIVES MEMBERS OF JOINT INTERNATIONAL COMMISSION FOR THEOLOGICAL DIALOGUE

The Members of the Eleventh Meeting of the Joint International Commission for Theological Dialogue between the Roman Catholic Church and the Oriental Orthodox Churches with the Catholicos Baselius Mar Thoma Paulose II of the East on January 29, 2014 at Kerala (India). Credit: Facebook page of Roman Catholic- Oriental Orthodox Dialogue

Devalokam, 29 January 2014: The Holy Father Baselius Marthoma Paulose II received the members of the Joint International Commission for Theological Dialogue between the Roman Catholic Church and the Oriental Orthodox Churches.

The Joint International Commission was instituted Eleven years ago as a initiative of the ecclesial authorities of the family of the Oriental Orthodox Churches and the Roman Catholic Church. The Eleventh meeting of the International Joint Commission was hosted by His Holiness Baselius Mar Thoma Paulose II, the Catholicos of the East and the Supreme Pontiff of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church. The ongoing Eleventh meeting would conclude on February 1.

The Members of the Eleventh Meeting of the Joint International Commission for Theological Dialogue between the Roman Catholic Church and the Oriental Orthodox Churches with the Catholicos Baselius Mar Thoma Paulose II and Bishops of the Orthodox Syrian Church of the East on January 29, 2014.Photo courtesy of facebook page of Joice Thottackad

Photos on https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.486656708111392.1073741951.322516261192105&type=1&l=0df388acc2

Dialogues sessions of the catholic- oriental orthodox joint commission started

Pambakuda, 29 January 2014: Plenary session of the International Joint Commission for Theological Dialogue between the Roman Catholic Church and the Oriental Orthodox Churches started today at Samanvaya Ecumenical Study Centre , Pambakuda.

Representatives of the Armenian Apostolic Church (Catholicosate of All Armenians), the Armenian Apostolic Church (Holy See of Cilicia), the Coptic Orthodox Church, the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church and the Roman Catholic Church are attending in the dialogues sessions. Arch Bishop Petrasian (Germany), Bishop Abbashoi (Egypt), H.G Yuhanon Mar Demetrius, Fr. Baby Varghese addressed the meeting.

Ecumenical Relations president of the Malankara Syrian Orthodox Church H.E, Dr. Gabriel Mar Gregorios, Secretary Fr. Abraham Thomas, Metropolitan of Kadanad East Diocese H.E. Dr. Thomas Mar Athanasius, Priest Trustee of the Malankara Syrian Orthodox Church Rev. Dr. Johns Abraham Konat welcomed the respective Delegates.

H.H Baselios Marthoma Paulose Marthoma Paulose II will felicitate the delegates today.

Antiochian Syrian Orthodox Delegation visits Pope Tawadaros II

 January 29, 2014: Antiochian Syriac Orthodox Metropolitan His Eminence Mar Themothevos Matta Al Khoury (First Secretary of H.H Patriarch) visited Pope Tawadaros II of Alexandria along with Rev.Fr. Kyrillos Messaoudi and Dn.Dr. Jamil in Alexandria.

The delegation also visited His Eminence Anba Bishoy, Metropolitan of Damiette, at the Hospital.

Source: Orthodoxy Cognate PAGE http://theorthodoxchurch.info/blog/news/2014/01/syriac-orthodox-delegation-visits-pope-tawadaros-ii/

International dialogue between Oriental Orthodox Church and Roman Catholic Church begins in India

Aby John

PAMPAKUDA, January 29: The Eleventh meeting of the International Joint Commission for Theological Dialogue between the Roman Catholic Church and the Oriental Orthodox Churches begins in Pampakuda near Kochi, Kerala, India, on Tuesday January 28.

All the Oriental Orthodox Churches, with the exception of the Antiochian Syrian Orthodox Church and the Eritrean Orthodox Church, were represented, namely the Armenian Apostolic Church (Catholicosate of All Armenians), the Armenian Apostolic Church (Holy See of Cilicia), the Coptic Orthodox Church, the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, and the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church.

The Roman Catholic Church and the Oriental Orthodox Churches delegations met separately on the morning of Tuesday January 28. The Joint Commission begins its four-day plenary session on Wednesday.

The endeavour of this year’s dialogue is to discuss the relevance of the nature and communion of the united and undivided Apostolic Church that existed till the fifth century A.D., in the present day Churches. The dialogue also seeks to emphasise that communion in worship and sacraments is multi-faceted and multi-layered, hence putting the onus on the Churches to realise this aim.

Seminar papers relating to liturgy and pilgrimage will be presented by eminent scholars such as Metropolitan Anba Bishoy, Fr Shenouda Masher Ishak, Metropolitan George Saliba, Fr B Varghese, Metropolitan Yuhanon Demetrius, Archbishop Yeznik Petrosyan, Fr Shahe Ananyan, Fr Daniel Feleke, Fr Columba Stewart and Fr Bagos Louvain.

The meeting was hosted by His Holiness Baselius Mar Thoma Paulose II, Catholicos–Patriarch of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church.
The discussions would conclude on February 1.

*Pampakuda is 38 km South East of Kochi and 49 km north of Kottayam town.

Pope Tawadros II pays visit to General al-Sisi

Cairo, 27 January(Agenzia Fides): On Sunday 26 January, the Pope of Alexandria Tawadros II paid visit to General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, Deputy Prime Minister and Commander-in-Chief of the Egyptian Armed Forces. During the visit Pope Tawadros expressed his congratulations to the Egyptian Armed Forces on the occasion of the third anniversary since the beginning of the revolution which in February 2011 led to the fall of the regime of Hosni Mubarak. The large delegation that accompanied the Patriarch included 6 other Coptic Orthodox Bishops. Pope Tawadros - the statement said - expressed gratitude "for the price that the Armed Forces are called upon to support them in their fight against terrorism and for the maintenance of security in the Country". Even General al-Sisi in turn expressed appreciation for the Coptic Church and its contribution to the unity of the Country, against any attempt to sow discord among the Egyptians.

The meeting assumes a singular symbolic value if one takes into account the new phase of violence that is shaking the Country: terrorist attacks and deaths in squares during clashes between protesters and security forces. Last weekend, between Friday and Sunday, more than eighty people died across the Country, concentrated largely in the ranks of the Muslim Brotherhood.
Despite the violent repression, the army continues to want to be credited as a guarantor of the process that should lead to the roots of the democratic system in the big African Country. The date of the next presidential election is expected to be announced soon, and General al-Sisi is hailed in the streets by his many supporters as a future head of State able to restore stability and security in the Country. (GV) (Agenzia Fides 27/01/2014)

Agenzia Fides

International dialogue between Oriental Orthodox Church and Catholic Church from Jan 28

PAMPAKUDA (KERALA, INDIA), 24 January 2014: The Oriental Orthodox Churches and the Roman Catholic Church will hold a week-long international dialogue at Pampakuda near Kottayam, starting from Tuesday.

The Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church (Indian Orthodox Church) will host the conference, which is to be held at Samanvaya Ecumenical Study Centre, Pampakuda.

More than thirty-five, including ten observers from the Oriental Orthodox Churches of Egypt, Armenia, Malankara (India), Syria, Ethiopia, Eritreia and the Roman Catholic Church will engage in a theological dialogue to discuss issues like ecclesiology, episcopacy, apostolic succession, the relevance and importance of the ecumenical councils, the Churches and its mission.

The endeavour of this year’s dialogue is to discuss the relevance of the nature and communion of the united and undivided Apostolic Church. The dialogue will seek to emphasise that communion in worship and sacraments is multi-faceted and multi-layered, hence putting the onus on the churches to realise this aim.

Seminar papers relating to liturgy and pilgrimage will be presented by eminent scholars such as Metropolitan Anba Bishoy, Fr Shenouda Masher Ishak, Metropolitan George Saliba, Fr B Varghese, Metropolitan Yuhanon Demetrius, Archbishop Yeznik Petrosyan, Fr Shahe Ananyan, Fr Daniel Feleke, Fr Columba Stewart and Fr Bagos Louvain.

INTERNET LINKS

Churches to Hold Week-long Int'l Dialogue from Monday By Express News Service
http://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/kochi/Churches-to-Hold-Week-long-Intl-Dialogue-from-Monday/2014/01/24/article2016869.ece
Orthodox, Catholic dialogue begins today By The Hindu, January 28, 2014
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/orthodox-catholic-dialogue-begins-today/article5623968.ece
Intl dialogue btween Orthodox Church & Chatholic Church from Jan 27 By UNI
http://news.webindia123.com/news/Articles/India/20140123/2326573.html
Dialogue between Oriental Orthodox and Roman Catholic church
By Press Trust of India 
http://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/dialogue-between-oriental-orthodox-and-roman-catholic-church-114012300798_1.html