Radio Vatican - Dialogue between Catholics and Oriental Orthodox concludes in India

February 7, 2014, Vatican Radio: Pope Francis’ attitude of hospitality and humility towards Oriental Orthodox leaders has had a positive impact on the dialogue between Catholics and these ancient Orthodox Churches.

That‘s according to Fr Gabriel Quicke, who’s in charge of relations with the Oriental Orthodox Churches at the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity. He came back this week from Kerala in India where he took part in the 11th meeting of the International Joint Commission for Theological Dialogue between Catholics and the Oriental Orthodox Churches.

The two delegations at the meeting continued their ongoing discussions on the ways in which full communion was expressed in the first five centuries, before the divisions between the different Churches. Since the 5th century, these ancient communities of Christians have not been in communion with either the Roman Catholic Church or the Eastern Orthodox world, with the result that very little is known about their rich heritage and traditions outside the countries where they are based - Egypt, Armenia, Syria, India and Ethiopia.

Philippa Hitchen spoke with Fr Gabriel to find out more about the five day meeting in Kerala and about the hopes for rapprochement with these Oriental Orthodox communities.



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Dialogue between Catholics and Oriental Orthodox concludes in India