MEETING OF THE STANDING COMMITTEE OF THE ORIENTAL ORTHODOX CHURCHES IN THE MIDDLE EAST

On Monday, May 17th, 2021, the annual meeting of the Standing Committee of the Oriental Orthodox Churches in the Middle East was held online. Present to the meeting were Methropolitan Thomas, Metropolitan Angelos and Dr. Gerges Saleh from the Coptic Church, Metropolitan George Saliba and Metropolitan Daniel Kourieh from the Syriac Church, and Archbishop Sebouh Sarkisian and Bishop Magar Ashkarian from the Armenian Church, Holy See of Cilicia.

 

The meeting commenced with a prayer, after which the participants discussed issues pertaining to ecumenical relations and dialogues between Eastern Orthodox, Catholic and Anglican churches, programs and activities of the three Oriental Orthodox sister churches especially under circumstances of the Pandemic, the situation of Syrian and Eritrean Orthodox churches, and the recent developments of the Monastery of the Coptic Church, in Jerusalem.

 

The Committee also planned the forthcoming meeting between His Holiness Aram I, His Holiness Patriarch Tawadros II of Alexandria and His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II, on September 6th-8th, in Egypt.

 

The meeting was concluded with prayer and blessing offered by His Holiness Aram I.