Catholic, Oriental Orthodox church leaders meet in Armenia

I'll repost the whole story:


Etchmiadzin, Jan. 26 (CWNews.com) - An international commission for dialogue between the Catholic and Oriental Orthodox churches is meeting this week in Etchmiadzin, Armenia, hosted by the head of the Armenian Apostolic Church, Catholicos Karekin II.

The joint commission is made up of 14 Catholic representatives and 14 delegates from the Oriental Orthodox churches-- the Christian bodies that broke with Rome in the 5th century after the Council of Chalcedon. Cardinal Walter Kasper (bio - news), the president of the Pontifical Council for Christian Unity, heads the Vatican delegation to the talks. He will co-chair the sessions along with Metropolitan Amba Bishov of the Coptic Orthodox Church. The Orthodox representation includes members of the Coptic, Armenian, Syrian, Ethiopian, and Eritrean, and (Indian) Syro-Malankar Orthodox churches; the Catholic delegation includes members of both the Latin and Eastern rites.

The commission is meeting this week for the third time since it was created in 2003. The first meeting took place in Cairo in 2004; the second was in Rome in 2005. This week's meeting is due to address the apostolic succession of bishops, the balance between papal primacy and episcopal collegiality, and the role of bishops' synods.

Let us pray that the Holy Spirit guides the representatives of both faiths to a productive meeting.

Open their hearts Lord to your love and wisdom. Awaken their minds and hearts to the work of unity, that all may be one.