PRESS RELEASE
Eastern Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America
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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.