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Ecumenical Chronicle of the Eastern and Oriental

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Ecumenical Chronicle of the Eastern and Oriental CURRENT DEVELOPMENTS ECUMENICAL CHRONICLE the Assyrian Church of the East and the Roman Catholic Church and of which OF THE EASTERN AND the joint Christological declaration ORIENTAL CHURCHES signed in Rome by Catholicos Mar Dinkha IV and John Paul II in 1994 was a first illustration. At its seventh LEO VAN LEIJSEN* annual meeting, 7-11 November, 2001, This chronicle continues the one that in Rome, the Joint Committee for The- was published in 2001. It covers the ological Dialogue between the Assyrian period from July 2001 to June.1 Church and the Roman Catholic Church took notice of the agreement and also discussed questions concern- THE ASSYRIAN APOSTOLIC CATHOLIC ing Christology (in particular on the CHURCH OF THE EAST doctrinal heritage of the Church of the East) and the constitution of the Church Agreement between Assyrian and Chaldean 2 Churches on the Eucharist (mostly about the papacy). On 20 July 2001, the Church leaders of the Assyrian Church of the East and the Fifth Non-Official Syriac Consultation Chaldean Catholic Church signed an on Sacraments important agreement that allows the At the invitation of Pro Oriente, the faithful of both Churches to take part Syriac Churches gathered in Vienna, in each other's Eucharist in special sit- from 26 February – 1 March 2002, for uations. The text, published October 25, the fifth meeting of the Non-Official 2001, was prepared jointly by the Pon- Dialogue. The Non-Official Syriac Con- tifical Council for Promoting Christian sultation has existed since 1994. Among Unity, the Congregation for the Doc- the participants were Church leaders trine of the Faith, and the Congregation and theologians from the Assyrian for the Oriental Churches, on the basis Church of the East as well as represen- of proposals made by Catholicos Mar Dinkha IV of the Assyrian Church and * Leo van Leijsen is a staff member Ori- Patriarch Mar Raphael Bidawid of the ental Churches, Catholic Association for Chaldean Church. The agreement has Christian Unity, Den Bosch. important pastoral significance for it con- 1 ‘Oecumenische Kroniek Oosterse firms an already existing practice. Kerken’, Het Christelijk Oosten, 53 (2001), pp. 219-241. Although the agreement is not equal to 2 full Eucharistic communion, it signifies http://www.cired.org: Holy Apostolic Catholic Assyrian Church of the East, an important progress in ecumenical Commission on Inter-Church Relations relations. It is a further illustration of and Education Development; http:// the good relationships that exist between www.zenit.org: Zenit 2001, October 26. 82 LEO VAN LEIJSEN tatives from the Syriac Orthodox Australia for several years and would be Church of Antioch, the Syromalankara highly desirable for Europe as well. Mrs Catholic Church, the Maronite Church, Christine Chaillot, Eastern Orthodox, and the Syrian Catholic Church. The presented the French association ‘Dia- consultation of 2002 continued the dis- logue entre Orthodoxes’ (‘Dialogue cussion about the Sacraments and Sacra- between Orthodox') that promotes the mentalia (in Syriac both indicated by collaboration and dialogue between Ori- roze) of previous meetings. Papers were ental and Eastern Orthodox.4 read on Marriage, on the Anointing of the Sick, and on the Holy Leaven Theological Dialogue between the Orien- (malka) and the Sign of the Cross, both tal Orthodox Churches and the Russian particular roze in the Assyrian Church Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patri- of the East. The Churches also stated archate their concern for the implications of the The Theological Commission of the attacks of September 11 on the situation Oriental Orthodox Churches and the of the Christians in the Middle East.3 Russian Orthodox Patriarchate held a session in Moscow on 4-5 September 2001. The commission continues the THE ORIENTAL ORTHODOX CHURCHES dialogue based on the results of the Common Declarations on Christology Oriental Orthodox and Eastern Ortho- of Amba Bishoi and Chambésy (see dox Meet in Germany above). On the Oriental Orthodox European representatives of the Orien- side, there were participants from the tal Orthodox and Eastern Orthodox Coptic Orthodox, Syriac Orthodox Churches met 27-29 July 2001 in the (Patriarchate of Antioch) and Armen- Syriac Orthodox Monastery of St. John ian Apostolic Churches. The Moscow of Sarugh in Warburg (Germany). The Patriarchate decided for this particular aim of the meeting was to implement the dialogue with the Oriental Orthodox results of the theological dialogue because the Common Declarations were between the two Orthodox families criticised by some Russian Orthodox (common declarations of Amba Bishoi theologians.5 Although in the Common 1989 and Chambésy 1990) and to pre- Declarations the Easterners and Ori- pare the way for restoring full unity. entals declared themselves mutually Common liturgical prayer was an essen- ‘orthodox’, the results of these declara- tial part of the meeting. In the tions are not widely known, nor is there monastery, or elsewhere in nearby sanc- a wide reception of them in institutions tuaries, Syriac, Byzantine and Coptic of Orthodox theological education in services were celebrated. The possibility Russia. Even after 1990 it is common in of charitable and cultural collaboration was explored. The participants insisted 3 http://www.cired.org; Der Christliche on joint action in the social and cate- Osten 56 (2001), 5, pp. 307-308. chetical field and in youth work. Reg- 4 Irénikon 74 (2001), 3, pp. 414-415. ular meetings of this kind are held in 5 Ibid., pp. 413-414. ECUMENICAL CHRONICLE OF THE EASTERN AND ORIENTAL CHURCHES 83 some circles within the Russian Ortho- ing the first decade of Armenia’s ‘Second dox Church to consider the Oriental Republic’. In the early evening of Sat- Orthodox as ‘monophysitic’ heretics. urday, 22 September, the Catholicoi of Etchmiadzin and of Cilicia (with his Dialogue between Oriental Orthodox and See in Antelias, Lebanon) and many Anglicans in England and Armenia Armenian bishops consecrated the Holy Representatives of the Oriental Ortho- Myron at the newly built open-air altar, dox Churches and the Anglican next to the ancient cathedral in Etch- Churches met in Midhurst (England) miadzin. Catholicos Karekin II con- from 27-30 July 2001. The aim of the demned the recent attacks in America meeting was to prepare for the installa- and such statements were repeated in tion of an international Committee of several other speeches during the fes- Dialogue between the Oriental Ortho- tivities. Many Armenians from abroad, dox and Anglican Churches, as had especially from America, had not been already been suggested at the Lambeth able to come to their home country. Conferences of 1988 and 1998 to After the Consecration Service, just replace the earlier ‘Forum' that was active before sunset, when the many digni- from 1985 to 1993. The first session of taries in procession had just left the open this Anglican-Oriental Orthodox Inter- air altar, the silver kettle with 60 litres national Commission, under the co- of Holy Myron, still on the platform chairmanship of the Coptic Orthodox and guarded by deacons and policemen, Metropolitan Bishop of Damiette and was approached by hundreds of faithful the Anglican Bishop Geoffrey Rowell who hoped to receive something of the of Gibraltar, was planned to meet June sacred power of the Holy Myron by 7-12 in Etchmiadzin (Armenia). The touching the veiled kettle with hand- task of this session would be to draft a kerchiefs or with the small liturgical declaration on Christology as a basis for booklet of the past ceremony. Sunday dialogue and pastoral collaboration. morning, 23 September, Catholicos Somewhat later than scheduled, the Karekin II consecrated with the new members of the new commission finally H. Myron the very recently constructed met from 5-10 November 2002.6 (and even partially unfinished) cathe- dral of St. Gregory the Illuminator in the ARMENIA centre of Yerevan. Both services were attended by a great 1700 Years Jubilee of Armenian Chris- number of important guests from the tianity whole ‘oikoumene’. Among them were In September 2001, the Armenian Apos- patriarch Alexy II of Moscow, Arch- tolic Catholicosate of Etchmiadzin cel- bishop Carey of Canterbury, Dr. Kon- ebrated the 1700 Years Jubilee of the rad Raiser of the World Council of acceptance of Christianity as Armenia’s state religion. As a matter of fact, the 6 Ibid., p. 417; http://www.anglican- festivities had already started on Inde- communion.org/ecumenical/orien- pendence Day, 21 September, celebrat- tal/200211communique.html. 84 LEO VAN LEIJSEN Churches, and the Armenian Catholic end to nominal differences over the Patriarch of Cilicia, Nerses Bedros XIX. nature of Christ, which had affected the In line with long standing traditions in relationship between the Churches of Armenian Apostolic Christianity, the Armenia and of Rome since the middle contents of the sermons by Catholicoi of the fifth century. A reciprocal visit Karekin II and Aram I (of Cilicia) were scheduled for 1999 had to be postponed both highly ecumenical and explicitly because of the death of Karekin I (he nationalistic. died June 29, 1999, at the age of 66). Pope John Paul II arrived in Armenia His successor, Karekin II, had already only on Tuesday, 25 September 2001, met with the Pope in Rome in 2000. because Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow, On Wednesday, 26 September, John who was in Armenia during the Jubilee Paul II paid a courtesy visit to President weekend, refused to meet with the Kotcharian in his Palace. The same Roman Pontiff. Relations between the morning he and Catholicos Karekin II Russian Orthodox Patriarchate of celebrated a service at the Tzitzer- Moscow and the Roman Catholic nakaberd Memorial, a monument com- Church are currently rather strained memorating the genocide of the Arme- because of the status of the Greek nians in 1915. The French-Armenian Catholic Church in the Ukraine and of singer Charles Aznavour sang the ‘Ave a dispute on the ecclesiastical structures Maria’.
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