H.H. Pope Schenouda II, Head of the Coptic Orthodox Church, H. H. Patriarch Zakka Iwas, Head of the Syrian Orthodox Church held their annual meeting from November 22-24, 2006, at the St. Mark Center, Nasr City, Cairo. H.H. Catholicos Aram I, Head of the Armenian Orthodox Church canceled his scheduled trip to Egypt for the meeting due to the latest events in Lebanon. However, the two spiritual leaders remained in contact with H.H. Aram I throughout the meeting, exchanging views on a variety of issues.
At the end of the meeting, the three Heads of Churches condemned the ordination of an individual as bishop by schismatic and non-canonical bishops who claim to be Orthodox and emphasized the necessity of strengthening cooperation between primates and communities of the three Oriental Orthodox churches.
On the agenda, the Middle East Council of Churches, which called for the presence of Mr. Guirgis Saleh, MECC General Secretary, who joined the meeting at a later stage.
The Common Declaration of the meeting is posted on the MECC website at www.mec-churches.org <http://www.mec-churches.org/
Middle East Council of Churches Office of International Ecumenical Relations P.O. Box 5376, Beirut, Lebanon
Guirgis Ibrahim Saleh, General Secretary
mecc@cyberia.net.lb or guirgissaleh@cyberia.net.lb
+961-1-353-938 http://www.mec-churches.org/