Patriarch Ignatius Aphrem II & Catholicose Baselios Paulose II – True Brothers in Christ makes history in Armenia

His Holiness Ignatius Aphrem II – Patriarch of Antioch and All East on the Apostolic Throne of St Peter – Primate of the Universal Syriac Orthodox Church, His Holiness Baselios Marthoma Paulose II – Catholicos of the East & Metropolitan of Malankara on the Apostolic Throne of St Thomas – Primate of the Indian Orthodox Malankara Church.

Dr. Rubina Khachatryan (OCP Delegate of Yerevan and All Armenia)
OCP News Service – 24/4/15

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Yerevan: A rare apostolic-brotherly encounter made history at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin on 22nd – 23rd April 2015. His Holiness Ignatius Aphrem II – Patriarch on the Apostolic Throne of St. Peter in Antioch and All East met His Holiness Baselious Paulose II – Catholicos on the Apostolic Throne of St Thomas and Malankara Metropolitan. It was one of the happiest moment for Orthodox Christians in the East.

The first meeting took at the Presidential guest house during the evening hours of 22nd April. Later they met during the dinner and hugged each other in eternal love and brotherhood. They conversed on various topics. Patriarch and Catholicos were together during visits to various museums and monuments in the Capital City of Armenia. They sat together during the canonization ceremony of the victims of the Armenian genocide. Apart from this, Five Patriarchs (Pope Tawadros II, Patriarch Ignatius Aphrem II, Catholicos-Patriarch Karekin II, Catholicos Aram I and Catholicos Baselious Paulose II ) held a private meeting at the Mother See.

Syriac Orthodox Church and the Indian Orthodox Malankara Church have been in administrative schism for a very long time. Apostolic visit of Patriarch Aphrem II to Malankara (Kerala) resulted in a warm exchange of greetings between the two churches. The Yerevan meeting is a turning point for both churches. Hopes are running high in Malankara. Orthodox faithful are hoping for immediate follow-up and resumption of dialogue for restoring conciliar unity.

Source:
OCP News Service