(St. Ephrem Monastery, Ma’arat Saydnaya, Damascus, Syria February 10-12, 1999) In the name of the Fr., the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen. We, Pope Shenouda III, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark, Patriarch Ignatius Zakka I, Patriarch of Antioch and all the East and Catholicos Aram I, Catholicos of the Armenians of the Great House of Cilicia, and the members of the Standing Committee H.E. Metropolitan Bishoy, H.E. Metropolitan – …

INTRODUCTION The two Churches are linked by very intimate relations since the early Centuries of Christianity, as both are daughters of St. Mark the Apostle. Such link was realized when St. Athanasius, the Apostolic, the 20th Pope of Alexandria, consecrated Frumentius in the year 329 A.D to be the first bishop of Eritrea and Ethiopia, on the request of the two Christian kings Abraha and Atsbeha. He was given the name of Abba Salama and started his – …

Thirty theologians from the Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox Churches met in the Halls of the Holy Cross Church of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch in Damascus, Syria from February 2-5, 1998. The Opening session was blessed and honored by the presence of H.B. Patriarch Ignatius IV, Patriarch of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and H.H. Patriarch Mar Ignatius Zakka I, Patriarch of the Syrian Orthodox Church of Antioch and all the East. The – …

Due to the presence of HH the Pope at the Monastery, the Orthodox Russian Delegate headed there on the evening of Thursday, December 16 to meet HH at His papal Residence at the Monastery. His Holiness the Pope received them and discussed matters concerning the Theological dialogue between the two Orthodox families and the Orthodox cooperation at the Ecumenical Councils especially at the World Council of Churches, also the Orthodox Joint responsibilities in confronting the – …

REPORT Third Meeting of the International Joint Commission for Theological Dialogue Between the Catholic Church and the Oriental Orthodox Churches Etchmiadzin, Armenia, 27 – 30 January 2006 Catholic and Oriental Orthodox representatives, delegated by their churches, met 27-30 January 2006, as members of the International Joint Commission for Theological Dialogue between the Catholic Church and the Oriental Orthodox Churches, under the co-chairmanship of His Eminence Cardinal Walter Kasper, President of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian – …

On Tuesday, June 22, 2005, His Grace Bishop Serapion met with His Grace Bishop Joseph Al-Zehlaoui of the Antiochian Orthodox Church and His Eminence Metropolitan Eugene Kaplan of the Syrian Orthodox Church at St. Maurice Coptic Orthodox Church. Also present in the ecumenical meeting were Rev. Fr. Michel Najim and Archdeacon George of the Antiochian Orthodox Church, Rev. Fr. George Toma of the Syrian Orthodox Church; and Rev. Fr. Ishak Boulos, Rev. Fr. Mina Girgis, and – …

On June 8, 2005, HG Bishop Serapion joined over 200 governmental and ecumenical leaders in welcoming His Holiness Karakin II, Catholicos of All Armenians, during a VIP luncheon held in the at the Western Diocese of the Armenian Church of North America, in Burbank. His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians addressed the attendees, thanking them for their continued support of the Western Diocese and her missions. He blessed them and conveyed to them – …

Friday and Saturday, December 9-10, 2005, the Heads of the Oriental Orthodox Churches in the Middle East, His Holiness Pope Shenouda III of the Coptic Church, His Holiness Patriarch Zakka I of the Syrian Church and His Holiness Catholicos Aram I of the Armenian Church-Catholicosate of Cilicia, held their 8th meeting, at St. Ephrem Monastery, Ma’arat Saydnaya, Damascus, Syria. This fellowship was founded in 1996. During their deliberations, the three Heads addressed issues related to – …

On Thursday May 11, 2006, under the guidance and leadership of His Grace Bishop Serapion, His Eminence Mor Clemis Eugene Kaplan (Syriac Orthodox Church), His Eminence Hovnan Derderian and His Eminence Moushegh Mardirossian (Armenian Apostolic Church), the Coptic, Armenian, and Syriac sister Oriental Orthodox Churches of the Western United States celebrated the second annual joint Divine Liturgy at the Armenian Apostolic Church in Burbank, CA. The day was filled with prayer, solidarity, and fellowship among – …

A fellowship of Orthodox Bishops was hosted by His Grace Joseph, bishop of Los Angeles and all the West (Antiochian Orthodox Church) on May 16, 2006, in the presence of bishops Serapion, (Coptic Orthodox Church), C. Eugene, (Syrian Orthodox Church), Moushegh (Armenian apostolic Church), Hovnan (Armenian Church). During the fellowship, the topics of “Da Vinci Code,” and the “Gospel of Judas,” were discussed. In conclusion to the discussion, it was decided that this fellowship communiqué – …

On Saturday, May 13 the Armenian, Syriac, and Coptic Orthodox Churches gathered their Sunday School students for a Bible Competition, which was held at St. Mary’s Armenian Apostolic Church in Glendale, CA. The event was for students ages 11-15 and it focused on the history of the three Oriental Orthodox churches and the first ten chapters of the Gospel of Matthew. This event was under the guidance and supervision of H.E. Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian, Prelate – …

On Monday, January 15, 2007, His Grace Bishop Serapion welcomed His Grace Bishop Joseph Al Zehlaoui of the Bishop of the Antiochian Orthodox Diocese of Los Angeles and the West, His Eminence Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, Primate of the Western Diocese of the Armenian Church; His Eminence Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian, Prelate of the Western Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America; and His Eminence Metropolitan Mor Clemis Eugene Kaplan, Patriarchal Vicar of the Syrian Orthodox – …