Study visit of young priests and monks of the Oriental Orthodox Churches

From 18 to 25 February, at the invitation of the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity (DPCU), fifteen young monks and priests of the Oriental Orthodox Churches (Armenian Apostolic Church, Syrian Orthodox Church of Antioch, Coptic Orthodox Church, Ethiopian Orthodox Church and Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church) participated in a study visit aimed at deepening their understanding of the Catholic Church.

During their stay in Rome, the delegation had the opportunity to visit various Dicasteries of the Roman Curia, in particular the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity, the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue, the Dicastery for Eastern Churches, the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, the Dicastery for Culture and Catholic Education and the Dicastery for Communication, as well as the Secretariat of State and the Secretariat of the Synod.

The group also visited various educational institutions, in particular the Pontifical Lateran University, the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas, the Pontifical Oriental Institute, the Pontifical Biblical Institute, the Pontifical Ethiopian College, the Pontifical Armenian College and the Pontifical Maronite College.

On Thursday 23 February the delegation was received in a private audience with the Holy Father.

This the third visit of young priests and monks of the Oriental Orthodox Churches, after the first visit in 2020 and the second in 2022.