Orthodox churches discuss unity, defense of family

October 02, 2024

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CWN Editor's Note: A rare meeting of prelates from the Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox churches concluded with a call for unity and a prayer “that all Christians may become ambassadors (cf. II Cor 5:20) of Christ’s message to the modern society, in order to transfigure the world with the light of truth and wisdom.”

The meeting also issued a strong defense of “the indissoluble and loving union between a man and a woman.” The prelates agreed: “Our churches categorically reject the justification of same-sex relations within what is called ‘absolute human freedom’ which causes harm to humanity.”

The meeting, held near Cairo under the auspices of the Coptic Orthodox Church, brought together representatives of most of the world’s Orthodox churches. Both the Moscow Patriarchate and the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople were represented, despite Moscow’s official stand that it will no longer participate in joint talks with Constantinople.

(The Oriental Orthodox churches are those that did not accept the Council of Chalcedon, as opposed to the other Orthodox churches that broke with Rome in the Great Schism.)

The host of the meeting was the Coptic Pope Tawadros, who suspended dialogue with Rome in 2024 after the Vatican issued release of Fiducia Supplicans, which the Coptic synod saw as “unacceptable” because it allowed the blessing of homosexual relationships.

Before concluding the meeting in Egypt, the Orthodox delegates also gave their support to efforts to establish a common date for the celebration of Easter by all Christian churches.

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