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 – …

On Monday February 5, 2007 the Council of Oriental Orthodox Churches in the Western United States held its quarterly meeting at St. Mary Armenian Orthodox Church in Glendale, hosted by His Eminence Moushegh Mardirossian, Prelate of the Western Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America in Glendale. The meeting opened with an extensive joint prayer in the Church, in which each group offered a prayer from their church. At the meeting the leaders of the Oriental – …

Report of Catholic-Oriental Orthodox Commission A Shared “Ecclesial Patrimony Stemming From Apostolic Times” VATICAN CITY, FEB. 12, 2007 (Zenit.org).- Here is the report issued at the conclusion of the fourth meeting of the International Joint Commission for Theological Dialogue Between the Catholic Church and the Oriental Orthodox Churches. The meeting took place Jan. 28-Feb. 3 in Rome. The fourth meeting of the International Joint Commission for Theological Dialogue between the Catholic Church and the Oriental Orthodox Churches took – …

Pasadena, Calif., February 9, 2007 – A consensus on the importance of evangelism and the need to eliminate domestic poverty marked the official formation of Christian Churches Together (CCT) meeting here February 6-9. The CCT is composed of 36 churches and national organizations from virtually all U.S. Christian groups who have been seeking to come together for fellowship, worship and opportunities to share in important ministries. “Remember that you belong to God and God does – …

January 13, 2004, NEW YORK CITY – Consultation with Cuban churches on shared concerns and celebration of the consecration of a new Greek Orthodox cathedral in Havana will top the agenda of a January 22-28 U.S. church leaders’ delegation visit to Cuba. Led by the Rev. Dr. Bob Edgar, General Secretary of the National Council of Churches U.S.A., the delegation also has requested a meeting with Cuba’s President Fidel Castro, at which the NCC is – …

From April 19-21, 2007, His Holiness Pope Shenouda III travelled to Syria for the tenth annual meeting of the Heads of the Oriental Orthodox Churches, with His Holiness Patriarch Zakka I of the Syrian Orthodox Church and His Holiness Catholicos Aram I of the Armenian Church-Holy See of Cilicia. This year’s meeting was held at at St. Ephrem Syrian Orthodox Monastery in Damascus, Syria came ten years after the foundational meeting in 1996. During their – …

The Hanging Church in Coptic Cairo is currently under restoration. The interior work is being done by a team of Russian specialists, who are using the experience gained from restoring ancient Orthodox churches in their own country. When I visited the Hanging Church in November 2006, I asked one of the Russians how long they had been staying in Egypt. She answered with a sigh and a smile, “We have lost our sense of time – …

According to the Catholic News Agency, a coalition of Jewish, Catholic and Protestant organizations has filed an amicus curiae brief with the California Supreme Court arguing that Proposition 8–the successful California ballot measure that banned same-sex marriage in November 2008–should be upheld. The brief offers the following points: Proposition 8 prevents a conflict between the church and state in issues that are undoubtedly affected by same-sex marriage, such as housing and public accommodations. Overturning Proposition – …