Vatican, Church of East to resume dialogue

July 14, 2012: The Roman Catholic Church and the Assyrian Church of the East (ACoE) would resume dialogue on October 4 to iron out their differences. The ACoE is one of the earliest Christian congregations in the United States and has members in many countries, including India.

"The main agenda of the third and final stage of talks would be about the pope's stand if both Churches come together," said Mar Aprem, Senior Metropolitan of ACoE and Patriarchal Delegate to India.

The noted Church historian and Aramaic scholar said a decision to resume the talks was taken at the 14^th Holy Synod of the Assyrian Church at Chicago in May. It was attended by 13 prelates from the US, Europe, Canada, Iraq, Australia, Iran, New Zealand, Lebanon and India. Besides mar Aprem, Mar Yohannan Yoseph and Awgin Kuriakose were the other bishops from India that attended the synod.

The dialogue between the Vatican and the COE began in 1985 with a view to ironing out the theological and liturgical differences between the two Churches. A common "Christological Declaration" was signed by the head of the Assyrian Church Mar Dinkha IV and the late Pope John Paul II in 1994.

The Anaphora (Liturgy) of the Assyrian Church was approved by the Catholic Church, especially by the Syro-Malabar Church and the Chaldean Catholic Church, which was earlier opposed by a large sections of the Roman Catholic clergy on the ground that it is 'chaldeanisation' of Catholic Church.

Another area of difference between the two Churches concerned is the seven Sacraments.
The Vatican insists on Seven sacraments such as baptism, confirmation, Holy Eucharist, penance, anointing of the sick (extreme unction), holy orders (ordination of priests) and matrimony. But the CoE recognised only five sacraments like ordination, baptism, oiling of unction, oblation (eucharist) and absolution (penance).