SEIA NEWSLETTER on the Eastern Churches and Ecumenism ______Number 196: January 31, 2012 Washington, DC
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SEIA NEWSLETTER On the Eastern Churches and Ecumenism _______________________________________________________________________________________ Number 196: January 31, 2012 Washington, DC The International Catholic-Oriental attended the meal. turies, currently undertaken by the com- Orthodox Dialogue The Joint Commission held plenary mission since January 2010, is perhaps sessions on January 18, 19, and 21. Each expected to establish good historical un- day began with Morning Prayer. At the derstanding of our churches. We think HE NINTH MEETING OF THE INTER- beginning of the meeting Metropolitan such technical and scholarly selection of NATIONAL JOINT COMMISSION FOR Bishoy congratulated one of the Catholic items for discussion will bring many more THEOLOGICAL DIALOGUE BETWEEN T members, Rev. Fr. Paul Rouhana, on his outstanding results beyond the initially THE CATHOLIC CHURCH AND THE recent election as General Secretary of the expected purpose of the Joint Commis- ORIENTAL ORTHODOX CHURCHES TOOK Middle East Council of Churches. sion. Therefore, this theological and spir- PLACE IN ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA, FROM The meeting was formally opened on itual contemplation will not only unveil JANUARY 17 TO 21, 2012. The meeting was hosted by His Holiness Abuna Paulos the morning of January 18 by His Holi- the historical and theological facts that I, Patriarch of the Ethiopian Orthodox ness Patriarch Paulos. In his address to exist in common but also will show us the Tewahedo Church. It was chaired jointly the members, the Patriarch said, “It is with direction for the future. The ninth meeting by His Eminence Cardinal Kurt Koch, great pleasure and gratitude we welcome of the Joint Commission in Addis Ababa President of the Pontifical Council for you, the Co-chairs, co-secretaries and is expected to bring much more progress Promoting Christian Unity, and by His members of the Joint International Com- in your theological examinations of enor- Eminence Metropolitan Bishoy of Dami- mission for Theological Dialogue between mous ecclesiastical issues. And we hope ette, General Secretary of the Holy Synod the Catholic Church and the Oriental Or- that the agendas chosen to be discussed of the Coptic Orthodox Church. thodox Churches. And let our spiritual here will be exhausted with utmost atten- Joining delegates from the Catholic greetings reach to our most venerable tion. To this end we would like to encour- Church were representatives of the follow- brothers, the Heads of our churches, age your skillful monitoring of agendas in ing Oriental Orthodox Churches: the An- through you. The history of the church the Joint Commission. As we all know, tiochian Syrian Orthodox Church, the tells us that division between the ancient this is the season of Epiphany, the celebra- Armenian Apostolic Church (Catholico- Oriental Orthodox Churches and the tion of the baptism of Our Lord and Sav- sate of All Armenians), the Armenian Ap- Catholic Church can be traced back to the ior Jesus Christ. The Ethiopian Orthodox ostolic Church (Holy See of Cilicia), the years after the Council of Chalcedon in Tewahedo Church celebrates this liturgi- Coptic Orthodox Church, the Ethiopian 451 AD, whose Christological teaching cal, highly spiritual, and unifying feast Orthodox Tewahedo Church, and the was not accepted by the Oriental Ortho- colorfully and with magnificent numbers Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church. No dox Churches. Henceforth, no dialogue or of believers. The theological meaning of representative of the Eritrean Orthodox even trial was made to bring these church- this feast is highly significant which re- Tewahdo Church was able to attend. es into their original unified status before flects the mystery of baptism, making all The two delegations met separately 451 AD and no attempt and activity re- of us children of God, which is on the on the morning of January 17. In the af- sulted in settling an irreversible solution to other hand inspiring. As I officially open ternoon, the Catholic members attended a the division. Obviously the 20th century the Ninth meeting of the Catholic-Oriental prayer service with the local Catholic hi- has brought about new horizons in which Orthodox International Joint Commission erarchy, clergy, religious and faithful, at relations began to be developed through for Theological Dialogue, I wish all suc- the Cathedral of the Nativity of Our Lady. the Pro Oriente Foundation in Vienna. cess and the grace of God to be with you. They were greeted with an address by This process of relations led to the estab- May it be a blessed and fruitful meeting to Abune Berhaneyesus D. Souraphiel, CM, lishment of an official dialogue between the Glory our Lord, Our God and Savior Metropolitan Archbishop of Addis Ababa the Catholic and Oriental Orthodox Jesus Christ. I pray to our Lord and Sav- and President of the Catholic Bishops’ Churches in 2003, under the title “Interna- ior Jesus Christ, that His Divine guidance Conference of Ethiopia. Cardinal Koch tional Joint Commission for Theological be in your midst during this meeting. May was also invited to speak to the assembly. Dialogue between the Catholic Church Almighty God Bless us all, bless our That same evening, all the members and the Oriental Orthodox Churches.” In world and give us His everlasting Peace! of the commission accepted a gracious accordance with the formally prescribed Amen.” invitation from His Excellency Archbish- setups of the commission in Rome, we The papers presented at this meeting op George Panikulam, Apostolic Nuncio could say the Joint Commission has de- included “Martyrdom as an Element of in Ethiopia, to attend a friendship dinner veloped a few articles related to funda- Communion and Communication” by at the Apostolic Nunciature in honor of mental aspects of ecclesiology. The issue Metropolitan Bishoy, “Martyrdom: An His Holiness Patriarch Paulos, who also of communion and communication among Element of Christian Communio,” by our ancient churches in the first five cen- Bishop Paul-Werner Scheele, “Exercise of Ecclesial Communion in the New Testa- Joint Commission will take place in Rome Lique Hiruyan Getachew Guadie (unable ment” by Rev. Fr. Matthew Vellanickal, in January 2013. The members will arrive to attend); Abba Dr. Hailemariam Melese, “The Exercise of Communion as Reflect- on Tuesday January 22, have separate Vice Dean of the Holy Trinity Theologi- ed in the New Testament Writings” by Dr. meetings on the morning of January 23, cal College, Addis Ababa (observer); Kuriakose Theophilose Metropolitan, plenaries on the afternoon of January 23, Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church: “Prayer and Liturgy in Religious Life as a as well as the full days of January 24, 25, H.E. Metropolitan Dr. Gabriel Mar Gre- Means of Communion and Communica- and 26, and plan to depart on Monday, gorios, President of the Department of tion” by Rev. Fr. Columba Stewart, OSB, January 28. Ecumenical Relations, Diocese of Trivan- and “Prayer and Liturgy in the Religious The members concluded with joyful drum, India; H. E. Metropolitan Dr. Life: Their Significance for Communion thanks to God, the Father, the Son and the Youhanon Mar Demetrios, Bishop of and Communication,” by Rev. Fr. Daniel Holy Spirit, for what has been accom- Delhi (co-secretary), Delhi, India; Rev. Seife Michael Feleke. plished at this meeting. Dr. Jossi Jacob, Director of the Post In these studies, the members noted The members of the Commission are: Graduate Department and member of the that, even in the New Testament, there Representatives of the Oriental Or- faculty of the Holy Trinity Theological were various expressions of the koinonia thodox Churches (in alphabetical order): College of the Ethiopian Orthodox of the apostolic churches in their diversity. Antiochian Syrian Orthodox Church: Tewahedo Church (observer). The understanding of martyrdom was H.E. Mor Theophilus George Saliba, Representatives of the Catholic essential to the early Christian experience Archbishop of Mount Lebanon, Secretary Church both in terms of witness to the faith and of the Holy Synod of the Syrian Orthodox His Eminence Cardinal Kurt Koch sacrificial self-offering. The veneration of Church, Beirut, Lebanon; H.E. Kuriakose (co-chair), President of the Pontifical martyrs emerged early as a point of unity Theophilose, Metropolitan of the Malan- Council for Promoting Christian Unity; among the churches. Both personal and kara Syrian Orthodox Theological Semi- Most Reverend Paul-Werner Scheele, liturgical prayer of early Christians was nary and President of the Ecumenical Sec- Bishop Emeritus of Würzburg, Germany; rooted in the Scriptures of the Old and retariat of the Malankara Syrian Orthodox Most Reverend Youhanna Golta, Pa- New Testaments. The Eucharistic liturgy Church in India, Ernakulam, India; triarchal Auxiliary Bishop of the Coptic particularly manifested a common struc- Armenian Apostolic Church: Cathol- Catholic Patriarchate, Cairo, Egypt (una- ture and also a variety of traditions that icosate of all Armenians: H.E. Khajag ble to attend); were mutually enriching. Barsamian, Archbishop of the Eastern Most Reverend Jules Mikhael Al- With these studies, the members con- Diocese of the USA, New York (unable to Jamil, Procurator of the Syrian Catholic tinued their examination of the ways in attend, represented by H.G. Bishop Ar- Patriarchate to the Holy See and Apostolic which the Catholic and Oriental Orthodox mash Nalbandian of the Armenian Dio- Visitator in Europe, Rome (unable to at- Churches expressed their communion with cese