Theological dialogue between the Catholic Church and the Assyrian Church of the East

From 6 to 9 November 2024, the sixteenth plenary session of the Joint International Commission for Theological Dialogue between the Catholic Church and the Assyrian Church of the East took place at the Domus Sanctae Marthae in the Vatican, hosted by the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity.

In line with the theme discussed since 2023, this year's plenary meeting was dedicated to the topic: "Liturgy in the Life of the Church: A Comparative Study of the Latin and Church of the East's Liturgical Traditions", with a particular focus on the feasts of the Lord and the commemoration of saints in both traditions.

The Commission’s meeting coincided with the second official visit to the Vatican of His Holiness Mar Awa III, marking the 30th anniversary of the signing of the Common Christological Declaration between the Catholic Church and the Assyrian Church of the East on 11 November 1994 by Pope John Paul II and Catholicos-Patriarch Mar Dinkha IV.

On Wednesday, 6 November, His Holiness Mar Awa III and His Eminence Cardinal Kurt Koch greeted the members of the Commission. Mar Awa expressed gratitude to God for the fruits of their shared journey and thanked the members for their dedicated work and commitment to the dialogue. Cardinal Koch, in turn, wished the participants a fruitful session, highlighting the importance of "doxological ecumenism", which the Dicastery will focus on during next year’s plenary meeting.

As stated in the communiqué, the members of the Commission presented and discussed four papers: "The Feasts of the Commemoration of Saints in the Roman Latin Church" by Fr. Jijimon Puthuveettilkalam, SJ; "The Commemoration of Saints in the Church of the East" by His Beatitude Mar Awgin Kuriakose; "The Feasts of the Lord in the Roman Latin Church" by Fr. Željko Paša, SJ; "The Feasts of the Lord in the Church of the East" by His Grace Mar Abris Youkhanna.

During the discussions, the members were pleased to identify a fundamental convergence in both liturgical traditions, which, though expressed and developed in different contexts, share common theological and pastoral elements.

On Thursday, 7 November, an academic act entitled "We Confess One Lord" was held at the Pontifical University of St Thomas Aquinas, commemorating the 30th anniversary of the signing of the Common Christological Declaration.

On Saturday, 9 November, His Holiness Pope Francis met with His Holiness Mar Awa III and received the members of the Commission in an audience at the Apostolic Palace.

The Assyrian delegation included: His Beatitude Mar Meelis Zaia, Metropolitan of Australia, New Zealand, and Lebanon (Co-chair); His Beatitude Mar Awgin Kuriakose, Metropolitan of the Archdiocese of India and the Southern Gulf; His Grace Mar Abris Youkhanna, Bishop of Duhok and Nineveh; His Grace Mar Elia Isaac, Bishop of Baghdad; Archdeacon George Toma; Archdeacon William Toma, Under-Secretary of the Synod (Co-Secretary)

The Catholic delegation included: The Most Reverend Johan Bonny, Bishop of Antwerp (Co-chair); The Most Reverend Antoine Audo, SJ, Bishop of Aleppo for the Chaldeans; Professor Dr. Theresia Hainthaler, Honorary Professor at Sankt Georgen Graduate School of Philosophy and Theology, Frankfurt; Reverend Father Željko Paša, SJ, Dean of the Faculty of Eastern Christian Studies at the Pontifical Oriental Institute; Reverend Father Jijimon Puthuveettilkalam, SJ, Gregorian University; Reverend Father Hyacinthe Destivelle, OP, Official of the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity (Co-Secretary).

Established in 1994, the Joint International Commission for Theological Dialogue between the Catholic Church and the Assyrian Church of the East has published two significant documents: the first in 2017, entitled Common Statement on the 'Sacramental Life', and the second in 2022, entitled "The Images of the Church in the Syriac and Latin Patristic Traditions."

The Commission's last meeting took place in Rome from 22 to 24 November 2023.