His Holiness Pope Francis to Catholic-Oriental Orthodox Commission: Pray and Work for Communion

His Holiness Pope Francis with Coptic Orthodox Bishop Kyrillos during the Audience for the Joint International Commission for Theological Dialogue between the Catholic Church and the Oriental Orthodox Churches (Vatican Media)

His Holiness Pope Francis highlights the dialogue of charity, truth, and life in his address to the Joint International Commission for Theological Dialogue between the Catholic Church and the Oriental Orthodox Churches.

By Christopher Wells

His Holiness Pope Francis on Friday received members of the Joint International Commission for Theological Dialogue between the Catholic Church and the Oriental Orthodox Churches at the Vatican, on the twentieth anniversary of the Commission’s foundation.

With approximately 50 million members throughout the world, the Oriental Orthodox Churches represent an ancient Christian tradition that recognizes the first three Ecumenical Councils, while adhering to a “miaphysite” Christology – the subject of ongoing ecumenical discussion.

In his address on Friday 26 January 2024, His Holiness Pope Francis encouraged Commission members to continue to “pray and work tirelessly in the service of communion and in countering the famine of peace spreading throughout so many parts of the earth.”

Dialogue of charity, truth, life

His Holiness Pope Francis went on to highlight “three inseparable ways to advance on the ecumenical journey that your Commission has encouraged over these past twenty years”: the dialogue of charity, the dialogue of truth, and the dialogue of life.

The dialogue of charity, he said, goes hand in hand with the dialogue of truth pursued by the commission, and includes the exchange of visits and letters, which have traditionally been “a sign and means of communion.”

The Pope noted, in particular, the fraternal visits of the heads of the Coptic Orthodox Church, the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church, and the Syriac Orthodox Church over the course of the past year.

Unity in diversity

His Holiness Pope Francis went on to reflect on the development of relations with the Oriental Orthodox Churches over the last two decades, highlighting “the great richness in its approach to the issue of unity in diversity.”

In particular, he noted the yearly reciprocal visits of young priests and monks for study in the various Churches, which he called “a sign of the spirit, who rejuvenates the Church in harmony, inspires paths of communion, and grants wisdom to the young and prophecy to the old.”

“May this ‘dialogue of life’ continue under the banner of the Spirit!” the Pope said.

“May this ‘dialogue of life’ continue under the banner of the Spirit!”

Full communion is possible

He prayed that the twentieth anniversary of the Commission might be a time of praise and gratitude to God for the progress already made, and expressed his hope that it might “renew the conviction that full communion between our Churches is not only possible but urgent and necessary ‘so that the world may believe’”…

This report was originally published on the website of Vatican News. Please click here to read the full text.