Closure of the Prayer Week at the Papal Basilica of St. Paul
His Eminence Archbishop Anoushavan, Prelate, and His Eminence Archbishop Nareg are representing the Holy See of Cilicia at the 20th plenary meeting of the Joint International Commission for Theological Dialogue between the Catholic Church and the Oriental Orthodox Churches, which is being held in Rome on January 22-26, hosted by the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity. The Catholicosate of All Armenian also participates in the event.
The Prelate said the meeting marks another milestone in the relations between the Catholic Church and the Eastern Churches as they seek to uphold the progress achieved over the last decades.
From left to right: Bishop Hovhannes Teiruzian, Very Rev. Fr. Shahe Ananyan, Archbishop Levon Zekiyan, Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Archbishop Bedros Miriatian, Archbishop Nareg, Archbishop Anoushavan
The meeting continues the study and discussion on the topic of the fourth phase of the dialogue, namely, Aspects of Mariology, The Holy Virgin Mary in the Teaching and the Life of the Church. As the meeting also marks the 20th anniversary of this Dialogue, an academic event took place on Tuesday, January 23, with the participation of former members of the Commission.
On Wednesday, January 24, the representatives of both Catholicosates visited the Pontifical Leonian Armenian College, an Armenian Catholic religious institution, upon the invitation of Archbishop Bedros Miriatian, Prelate of the Armenian Catholic Eparchy of Aleppo.
On Wednesday, January 25, the Prayer Week was closed at the Papal Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls in Rome, presided by Pope Francis, to which the participants in the meeting were also invited.
Simultaneously, Rev. Fr. Hrant Kevorkian, Pastor of St. Sarkis Church (Dearborn, Michigan), along with Very Rev. Fr. Avedik Der Garabedian and Very Rev. Fr. Kevork Karageozian, are representing the Holy See of Cilicia in the study visit of young priests and monks of the Oriental Orthodox Churches, organized by the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity, which is taking place in Rome from January 22 to February 3.