On Friday, May 10th, 2024, His Holiness Catholicos Aram I of the Holy See of Cilicia, His Holiness Pope Tawadros II of the Coptic Orthodox Church, and His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II of the Syriac Orthodox Church met at the Coptic Patriarchate in Cairo.
This gathering, part of a fellowship established in 1996 at the suggestion of Catholicos Aram I, continues a tradition of meetings held alternately in Antelias, Cairo, and Damascus. The Executive Board, formed with two representatives from each church, meets annually, while the spiritual leaders convene every two years.
Before this Cairo meeting, the Executive Board held a two-day session to discuss various topics and present proposals to the spiritual leaders. The leaders issued a joint statement emphasizing the need to strengthen the Christian presence in the region, condemned Israel’s actions against Gaza, and highlighted the importance of Christian-Islamic coexistence. They also prioritized theological dialogue with the Catholic Church and other Orthodox churches, and stressed the continuation of inter-church cooperation, especially with the World Council of Churches and the Middle East Council of Churches.
During the meeting, the spiritual leaders also addressed issues concerning their congregations and the broader Middle East.
The Executive Board session included H.E. Arch. Nareg Alemezian, H.E. Arch. Magar Ashkarian, and V. Rev. Fr. Sarkis Aprahamian.
