On
Friday, the l2th of February 1988, the mixed commission of the
dialogue between the Catholic Church and Coptic Orthodox Church
met in the Monastery of Saint Bishoy, Wadi El Natrun, Egypt.
H.H.
Pope Shenouda III opened the meeting by prayer. His Excellency
Giovanni Moretti, the Apostolic Nuntius in Egypt, and Father Duprey,
Secretary of the Vatican Secretariat for Promoting Christian Unity,
attended this meeting representing H.H. Pope John Paul II and
enabled to sign this agreement. Also bishops delegated by His
Beatitude Stephanos II Ghattas, Patriarch of the Coptic Catholic
Church, were present and delegated to sign this agreement.
We
are rejoiced at the historical meeting that happened in Vatican
on May 1973, between H.H, Pope Paul VI, and H.H. Pope Shenouda
III.
This
was the first meeting since about 15 centuries between our two
Churches. In that meeting we found ourselves in agreement in many
issues of faith. In this meeting also a mixed commission was formed
to discuss the issues of difference of doctrines and faith between
the two Churches aiming at church unity. Previously, 1n Vienna,
September 1971, Pro-Oriente arranged a meeting between the theologians
of the Catholic Church and those of the Oriental Orthodox Churches:
the Coptic, the Syrian, the Armenian, the Ethiopian, and the Indian.
They achieved an agreement concerning Christology.
We
are grateful to God that we are now able to sign a common formula
expressing our official agreement in Chr1stology which was already
approved by the Holy Synod of the Coptic Orthodox Church on 21st
June, 1986.
All
other issues of difference between our Churches will be discussed
successively according to God's will.
"We
believe that our lord, God and Saviour Jesus Christ, the Incarnate-Logos
is perfect in His Divinity and perfect in His Humanity. He made
His Humanity One with His Divinity without Mixture, nor Mingling,
nor Confusion. His Divinity was not separated from His Humanity
even for a moment or twinkling of an eye.
At
the same time, we anathematize the Doctrines of both Nestorius
and Eutyches"
