Vespers with Catholic & Coptic Orthodox Archbishops

Catholic and Coptic Orthodox Archbishops to pray Vespers together

Press Release for immediate release 26.10.2018

At the kind invitation of Bishop Hlib Lonchyna the Eparchial Bishop of the Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral of the Holy Family, Mayfair, London, the first Coptic Orthodox Archbishop of London, His Eminence Archbishop Angaelos will be present with Archbishop Kevin McDonald, Emeritus Archbishop of Southwark, at Vespers in the Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral on Tuesday 6 November 2018 at 6.15pm. The homily will be given by Archbishop Athanasius Toma Dawod, the leader of the Syriac Orthodox Church in the UK.  The Vespers will be followed by a Reception.

The rapprochement between the Catholic Church and the Oriental Orthodox Churches is one of the most significant ecumenical developments of the last hundred years. The Popes of the Catholic Church and Heads of the Oriental Orthodox Churches have agreed joint statements that move beyond the doctrinal conflicts of the past, and they have been able to proclaim their Faith in Jesus Christ with a united voice and minister collaboratively, regardless of existing and continuing differences.  

The joint celebration expresses a deep desire for unity at the grass roots of the Churches. The evening is one of the fruits of the Catholic-Oriental Orthodox Regional Forum of Great Britain which meets precisely to promote rapprochement and to establish ever greater collaboration between the Churches. All ecumenical endeavours are rooted and grounded in prayer, particularly in shared prayer. The kind invitation and hospitality of the Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral in London provides a beautiful place to come together for this evening prayer, which includes the heartfelt desire to make our own the prayer of Our Lord Jesus Christ that “they all may be one” (John 17:21).

All who wish to attend this ecumenical event are very welcome, please RSVP by 31 October to Canon John O’Toole, Secretary Department for Dialogue and Unity, Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England & Wales 020 7901 4811 

john.otoole@cbcew.org.uk

http://www.cbcew.org.uk/CBCEW-Home/Departments/Dialogue-and-Unity 

Note to Editors

The Oriental Orthodox Church is a family of six self-governing Church bodies in the East and is the fourth largest communion of Christian Churches. The Oriental Orthodox Churches include: the Armenian Apostolic Church, the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria (Egypt), the Eritrean Orthodox Church, the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, and the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church (also called the Indian Orthodox Church) and the Syriac Orthodox Church. Each of these Churches is autonomous while maintaining communion with each other.

Each self-governing church in Oriental Orthodoxy has as its highest office a patriarchate. The patriarch of the Coptic Orthodox Church in Alexandria is also known as the Pope. Most of the 70 million members of the Oriental Orthodox Family of Churches live in Ethiopia, Egypt, Eritrea, Armenia, India, Syria, and Lebanon. Oriental Orthodox churches also exist in North America, Australia, Europe, and other parts of the world.         

The Oriental Orthodox family of Churches is separate from the Eastern Orthodox family of Churches. They recognise the first three ecumenical councils of Nicea, Constantinople, and Ephesus. They are known as ‘non-Chalcedonian’ or ‘miaphysite’ not monophysite.      

Archbishop Angaelosis widely recognised for his extensive advocacy work, and as a result he was conferred the honour of Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire by Her Majesty the Queen for ‘Services to International Religious Freedom.’ Archbishop Angaelos has also been conferred the Lambeth Cross for Ecumenism by the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Coventry Cross of Nails for Reconciliation. With a pastoral ministry spanning more than two decades, Archbishop Angaelos specialises in youth ministry and travels around the world to speak at youth conferences and conventions.

Archbishop Kevin McDonaldis the Catholic Emeritus Archbishop of Southwark.  He worked for eight years inin Romeon the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unityand is the Catholic Co-Chair of the Catholic-Oriental Orthodox Forum and Chair of the Committee for Catholic-Jewish relations.

https://parish.rcdow.org.uk/ukrainianchurch/contact/

http://www.copticorthodox.london/

Photos:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/copticmedia/albums

https://www.flickr.com/photos/catholicism/albums/72157688617102104

Revival of the Society of St. John Chrysostom in 1959

The following article appeared on page 5 of the 13 November 1959 edition of The Catholic Herald:

Eastern Churches Society Forming Links of Charity

A gesture of goodwill towards separated Christians was successfully made by London Catholics last Friday, when the recently revived Society of St. John Chrysostom invited Orthodox and Anglican clergymen to attend a lecture by Mr. Donald Attwater on " The Society of St. John Chrysostom and its Patron Saint ".

Fr. Kyril, a Russian Orthodox priest, was present, and wore cassock and pectoral cross. The Rev. C. E. Hampson, of the Fellowship of St. Alban and St. Sergius, was the Anglican representative.

The Fellowship, mainly an Anglican venture, is first in the field in this modern move to replace prejudice with charity among Christians in Britain.

OBJECTS

That the Society of St. John Chrysostom, a Catholic organisation having as one of its objects to get Catholics to know and love the Eastern Christian tradition, intends quickly to establish links of charity with other Christians was shown by the presence at the meeting of priests whose avowed aim this is. They included Mgr. J. M. T. Barton, Fr. Maluga, C.SS.R. Vicar General of the Ukrainians, Fr. C. Sipovich. M.I.C. superior of the Byzantine Rite Marian House, London, and Prebendary Pilkington of Westminster Cathedral. The late Dom Bede Winslow, O.S.B., a pioneer in this work. would have attended too, for he had been invited. The Society has arranged for a funeral service in the Byzantine rite to be celebrated for him on Friday. November 27. at 7 p.m., at the Saffron Hill Ukrainian Church, London.

Mr. Attwater, the expert in Eastern Church matters, prefaced his remarks by complimenting the Ukrainians in choosing the second Archbishop of Canterbury. the Greek monk St. Theodore, as patron for their London church. "Cardinal Godfrey, the president of the society, and their Exarch, is his 67th successor," he said. "Theodore gave us the basic structure of the English Catholic Church." When questioners turned from the subject-matter of the lecture and began to comment on the prospects for unity, Fr. Sipovich wisely intervened to point out that the society exists to get Catholics to appreciate "the treasury of theology and devotion to be found in the East". Once this is done, and a bond of sympathy established. then we can go on and talk about unity.

Tonight (Friday) the feast of St. John Chrysostom in the Eastern calendar, Fr. Maluga, Fr. Sipovich, and Fr. Alexander will concelebrate the Liturgy at seven o'clock in Marian House, to which all are invited.

source: Archive of The Catholic Herald (13 November 1959).