AFRICA/EGYPT - The Middle East Council of Churches: unify the date for the Easter celebrations

Cairo (Agenzia Fides) - The path for the Promotion of Christian Unity also involves the adoption of concrete measures such as a common date for the Easter celebrations. This is what was reported in the final declaration of the Executive Committee of the Middle East Council of Churches, which concluded its work with a prayer service at the church of Mar Girgis, in the suburb of Heliopolis. The important meeting, which was housed at the "San Marco" Coptic Centre, in the district of Nasr City, was attended by leading members of the Middle East Council of Churches: from the Coptic Orthodox Patriarch Tawadros II, to the Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia of the Armenians, Aram I; from Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos III, to the Syrian Catholic Patriarch Ignace Youssif III. The level of representatives present at the meeting suggests that the issue of unification of the date for the Easter celebration is gradually gaining consensus among the different Churches and Christian communities in the Middle East. In the concluding statement of the meeting, which was sent to Agenzia Fides, the scourges afflicting many local Christian communities in the Middle East are highlighted, which go from dealing with armed conflicts taking place in various countries, but also targeted attacks, persecution and kidnappings. In the document, the heads of the Churches of the Middle East recall the urgent need to continue to deepen Christian-Muslim dialogue, defined a "fundamental pillar" of coexistence among Middle Eastern Christians and their Muslim fellow citizens.
With regard to the political emergencies that afflict the Middle Eastern scenario, the statement also refers to the ongoing political paralysis in Lebanon, where even the contrast among Christian parties prevents to find consensus to elect the new President of the Republic. In the text, the Patriarchs and other Christian representatives present at the meeting also express gratitude to Pope Francis for the pastoral concern shown by the Bishop of Rome towards the sufferings of the Christians in the East. (GV) (Agenzia Fides 06/11/2015)

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