On Sunday, September 15, 2024, Patriarch Theodore II of Alexandria and All Africa received Elder Metropolitan Emmanuel of Chalcedon and Hierodeacon Ecumenius Amanatidis, Deputy Secretary of the Holy and Sacred Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, at his office in Alexandria. Their visit was in preparation for the meeting between the family of the Orthodox Church and the family of the Ancient Eastern Churches.
Patriarch Theodore warmly welcomed Metropolitan Emmanuel, who conveyed the wishes and brotherly love of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew. During their meeting, Metropolitan Emmanuel briefed the Patriarch on the upcoming gathering, which aims to resume dialogue between the two Church families after a 30-year hiatus. They also discussed various ecclesiastical issues relevant to the two Patriarchates and the broader Orthodox Church.
Later in the afternoon, Metropolitan Emmanuel and his entourage departed for the Coptic Patriarchal Center “Logos” in the Nitrian Desert. The meeting is hosted by the Coptic Patriarch, who extended a warm welcome to all attendees. The Orthodox delegation includes representatives from the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the Patriarchates of Alexandria, Antioch, Jerusalem, Russia, Romania, and Bulgaria, as well as the Churches of Cyprus, Greece, Poland, and Albania.
This significant meeting represents an essential step toward renewing dialogue and fostering unity between the Orthodox Church and the Ancient Eastern Churches, rekindling a conversation that has been on hold for three decades.
Translated by: Konstantinos Menyktas
