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Preparatory Meeting for the Dialogue between Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox, Chambésy (Geneva) 11th March 2005
Short history and Report of the Activities of the Association Inter-Orthodox Dialogue for Practical Dialogue between the Eastern Orthodox and the Oriental Orthodox Christians founded by Christine Chaillot in 2002
by Christine Chaillot, Founder and SecretaryI am a faithful member of the Patriarchate of Constantinople, a Swiss. In a few words I shall now explain how I began my work for practical Dialogue between the Eastern Orthodox and the Oriental Orthodox Christians. Since 1981, I first had had many spiritual contacts with people and also personalities of the Coptic Orthodox Church in Egypt (including some bishops and the Patriarch). These valuable connections allowed me to organise a visit or philoxenia of two Coptic nuns from the Convent of Saint Demiana to Greece of twelve nunneries, in summer 1985 .
The same year, in September, the first Unofficial Meeting took place in Chambésy, my parish. As an outside observer, I followed with enthusiasm all the meetings taking place in Chambésy (and also the one in Saint Bishoy Monastery in 1989) and I read all of the texts produced, including those on the practical steps, which were for me so meaningful. I was ready to be of assistance for the dialogue, but how ? Not being a theologian, I felt that the best way to do it was on a purely practical level. Some texts of the Dialogue spoke, among other things, for the production of a literature for a larger public, to be illustrated with many pictures.
When I read the paragraph on the common veneration of icons , I thought I should try to gather material to quickly show the historical continuity in the four Oriental Orthodox traditions, with examples taken from their texts. This resulted as a little book entitled Rôle des images et vénération des icônes dans les Églises orthodoxes orientales . Metropolitan Damaskinos (then the Co-President of the Dialogue and my bishop in Switzerland) wrote a short introduction for it and he always gave his blessing for my work. Always, I also have received spiritual support and advice from Father Boris Bobrisnkoy, the dean of Saint Serge Institute in Paris, who was and still remains my spiritual father.
In 1994, I was invited for a Syriac conference (SEERI) in Kottayam (in the southwest of India) where I took time to visit places as well as to meet clergy and people of the Malankara Orthodox Church. As a result of my research, my second book came out, The Malankara Orthodox Church .
Then followed in 1998, the book on The Syrian Orthodox Church of Antioch and All the East, including its faithful in Syria, Turkey, Lebanon and Irak, with a preface by Metropolitan Yohanna Ibrahim, then representative of the Syrian Orthodox Church in the Dialogue .
In the same year, as chief editor, I gathered and published all the texts of the Unoffical and Official Dialogue, from 1964 to 1993, writing some introductory articles on the Oriental Orthodox Churches and adding some liturgical and other texts about them, to show, in particular, their truly Orthodox christology. All this was done in order to open the curiosity of the readers to the realities of the Dialogue. Again with a preface by Metropolitan Damaskinos, this volume was entitled Towards Unity. The Theological Dialogue between the Orthodox Church and the Oriental Orthodox Churches
In 2002, The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church Tradition (Paris, 2002) was published. This book also covers the Oriental Orthodox Church in Eritrea and has a preface by Metropolitan Petros of Axum. I am now trying to finish this year my projected book on the Coptic Orthodox Church (2005) . I hope to complete this series in the future with a similar book on the Armenian Orthodox Church. The subtitle of all my books is ‘Life and Sprirituality’. In each, the chapters present the following format : History, Organization of each Church, its Mission and Diaspora, Sunday School and Youth Movement, Languages, Literature and Studies, Liturgical Life, Spirituality, Monastic Life and Contemporary spiritual figures.I have also written some articles on the Oriental Orthodox Churches, which were published in various reviews and parish magazines, and I have also given interviews both on radio and television .
This written work is a very good vehicle to effectively promote the dialogue. I distributed hundreds of my books, most of the time for free, especially outside Europe and America, that is, in the Middle East, in Ethiopia and elsewhere. These were disseminated to prelates of the Churches, clergy, laypeople and youth, including Syndesmos youth leaders and members. In all of my books, I try to be as pedagogic as possible, writing in simple terms which are easily accessible to all, including also many (small) pictures and maps (with all the names referenced in the books) to graphically illustrate the text. This type of book allows me to explain the details about every Church anywhere and at anytime, without necessity of slides and projector or other modern technology . I often feel like a postwoman carrying books and news from country to country, even to far away villages. Education and mutual understanding increase with speaking here and there of the life and spirituality of the different Oriental Orthodox Churches, and also of the Eastern Orthodox Churches. At the same time, I also have the opportunity to inform the Oriental Orthodox Churches about their own sister Churches !
My books, therefore, became a prime conduit to share with others my many travels and encounters: to see the places as well as to ‘meet’ vicariously the numerous people I meet and with whom I also make short interviews. Through these interviews, the local people speak about themselves in their own words and this balances my own general presentation. I also include a bibliography and a list of addresses, and now websites, for people to contact and discover each other.
Nothing replaces the direct personal contact and I am convinced that this is the best means to come to know one another.
To show that my work is primarily for all and for the advancement of the Dialogue between the Eastern Orthodox and the Oriental Orthodox, I always put some prefaces and letters of blessing by bishops and Patriarchs . This shows credibility that my work is not just private opinion, but that it adequately reflects the spirit of the Dialogue and so with hierarchal approbation, encouragement and blessing my work may go forward.In order to have more of an effect than just merely producing a practical informative literature promoting the Dialogue and mutual understanding, I decided to found an Association for MORE PRACTICAL pro-active dialogue of the two families of Churches. The foundation of the association ‘Inter-Orthodox Dialogue’ was done in Paris under the presidency of Father Boris Bobrinskoy.
Among the activities that have occurred, let us name the following ones :
Since 2003, yearly meetings have taken place in autumn at the Orthodox Institute of Saint Sergius in Paris, each with different themes (until now : presentation of the Oriental Orthodox history, liturgy and monastic life).
I organise similar meetings as is possible in different European cities .
I have developed a little network with like-minded people, individually or in groups.In several European countries I have attempted to organize timely meetings, inviting the participation of Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox people and clergy. This usually happens in the evening, and the format is in three parts: first I give a short lecture to present the history and spirituality of the Oriental Orthodox Churches ; then there is a time for questions, during which the local Oriental Orthodox and Eastern Orthodox representatives can answer the questions, speak themselves and have a direct dialogue ; finally there is a little concert of Oriental Orthodox liturgical music (about 30 to 45 minutes).
I also organized in Paris three concerts of liturgical music with the participation of about twelve choirs, Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox : in the Greek Orthodox Cathedral, in a Russian parish and in UNESCO. The discovery of the beauty of the others’ liturgical music is another type of dialogue, without words.
This ‘mixture’ of events has always pleased the participants. This was done in Brussels, Dublin and London. I try to continue to do it in other places and countries as the possibilities arise.During a conference held in Helsinki, in Finland (in 2003) organized by the Eastern Orthodox International Parish of Saint Isaac of Nineveh and welcoming all Oriental Orthodox living in Finland, I presented a short history of the Association .
After that, I also gave a lecture in an Eastern Orthodox parish in Oslo (Norway) and I then made contacts to prepare for a liturgical concert in Stockholm (Sweden) in the future.
In Switzerland during an ecumenical conference in Lausanne, I had opportunity to introduce the Oriental Orthodox .I have heard of parishes or groups elsewhere having the same dedication for this dialogue.
For example, the Coptic St. Mark’s Orthodox Fellowship Canadian Chapter together with St. Mark’s Coptic Orthodox Church in Scarborough (Toronto) has since 2000 sponsored an annual three day meeting with the aim to encourage dialogue and unity between Orthodox Churches. In 2004 participating Churches were Coptic, Armenian, Ethiopian, Syriac and Greek Orthodox. Churches in the city take turns hosting each day. In addition to the guest speakers and clergy, lay people from each of the churches participate at these meetings .Effective common work between the two families of Churches can exist at different levels, not only on the parish level but also at the social and at the pedagogic levels.
In July 2001, a meeting was held in Germany for two and a half days, on the invitation of the Coptic Bishop Damian, which was very positive as we gathered with Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox (including three bishops, priests, laypeople and some youth of eleven countries) and as we discussed our spiritual and theological life in an informal and very friendly way with a report of projects (for example, to have all together social work like visiting sick people in hospitals or even in jail). We took our inspiration from some official texts of the Dialogue. Unfortunately, (as this too often happens) there was no follow up as I had hoped people would continue to have in Germany.
In Belgium, where religious education is given in public schools, there is a group of Eastern Orthodox teachers who now have Syrian Orthodox students and since recently (2004-5) also some Ethiopian ones. Some teachers use my books to get some information about the Oriental Orthodox communities which they don’t know .It is not easy to keep in touch with all the people I meet. The only way to be fruitful is if they continue locally and on their own continue the meetings we have begun.
Because of lack of time, I cannot contact as many people as I wish to promote this dialogue. The only way is to do it with and through like-minded people and clergy, who have enthusisam and love for the dialogue and who can do the same work of information and organize encounters wherever they live. All people who have an interest should get inspired by reading the practical steps mentioned in the texts of the Official Dialogue, (and even before 1985 in those of the Unofficial Dialogue) : by organizing lectures, visits to the parishes of the others, with attendences of the others’ liturgy and feasts, including baptisms and weddings, during consecrations of churches or exhibitions, etc. They could add new ideas for creating this togetherness.In the USA, one priest, Father John Harvey in Rhode Island (US), under the Ukrainian Metropolia of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, has contacted me by email. He is very enthusiastic and does his best with his Oriental Orthodox neighbour priests in the local Orthodox clergy fellowship and people in parishes .
The ideal would be to have everywhere people like him, doing practical dialogue at the local parish level.
In the USA, a number of local regional Orthodox clergy associations permit the membership of clergy of both families of churches, yet other areas continue outright discrimination against the Oriental Orthodox. The Standing Conference of Canonical Orthodox Bishops (SCOBA) has regular meetings with their counterpart, the Standing Conference of Oriental Orthodox Churches, and out of this contact an annual service for United Nations personnel takes place in one anothers’ cathedrals, with hierarchs of both Churches present. Bishop Dimitri of Xanthos (Greek Archdiocese) and Archbishop Khajak (Armenian Church) locally head the dialogue sponsored by the above mentioned Conferences. This is but a beginning, yet an encouraging sign of a desire to know one another better.I have heard of clergy of the two families in Australia meeting regularly and visiting each time another parish, with the presence of some faithful. This is another ideal way of knowing each other better.
I should also attemp to develop these contacts through a web site. This began to be the case when my association, recognised by the Fraternité Orthodoxe en Europe Occidentale (with seat in Paris) gave me space on its website. Currently this is not operable, but hopefully again will be so in the future.
In the future, I hope to follow up on some practical ideas and projects such as :
- to continue to give information through lectures and concerts in diverse European (including Eastern ones) and other countries ;
- to make lists of priests and faithful around the world doing work for unity and to share ideas and make plans/programs together, at the local and wider levels. Such a network has yet to be identified, organized and co-ordinated, in order to maximize our common work together. I need more collaboration, for example to co-ordinate this work all around the world or to be in touch with some people who would be willing and readily available to correct and translate texts from French into English and into other languages.
- to help young people in Ethiopia to keep their traditonal Church education alive by recording, as well as to find people to teach their traditional icon painting (style, with natural local pigments), and to make wood cross cutting and preparation by hand and writing of manucripts with illuminations (this could be also organized in other Oriental Orthodox Churches) ;
- in Turkey, computers were bought by the Association to help some young Syrian Orthodox in distant villages and more help should be given in other villages in the future ;
- in Lebanon and Syria, to make Eastern Orthodox remember that Syriac language was used in their Church as late as the 18th century ; and to make Eastern Orthodox children learn the Syriac alphabet and young people study Syriac language ;
- to help Armenians.I shall not list here the many difficulties and frustrations that I have faced during this work of dialogue begun about twenty years ago, but it might be helpful for others if I write it once.
I also noticed that some very educated people (including at the theological level) happened to be ignorant, misinformed and close-minded regarding this dialogue. I would say that the dialogue must take roots not only at the theological and practical levels but also at the historical and even psychological and other levels.In conclusion, I can only hope with all my heart to be a witness to this coming together of the two Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox Families of Churches and I pray that your work as theologians will be fruitful and that as many people as possible will contribute in his or her own way in this dialogue. Spiritual attitudes and contacts will break down walls of centuries of misunderstanding and miracles will happen with the grace of God and with the work of all.
Notes
Under Metropolitan Bishoy, appointed in September 1985 as the Co-President and representative of the Oriental Orthodox in the Official Dialogue.
C.Chaillot,’Rencontres de deux moniales coptes en Grèce’, Le Monde Copte, 17 Limoges, (1990), 59-60.
Geneva, 1993, (out of print) which I hope to translate into English. I also had previously prepared two files on Coptic icons for the review Le Monde Copte publishedin France (no 18 1990 and no 19 1991).
Geneva, 1996, out of print, project with Father K.M. George who wrote the preface to reprint it with some addenda.
Geneva, 1998, translated into Arabic and published in 2004 in Aleppo by Metropolitan Yohanna Ibrahim.
Apart from those already mentioned, by H.H. Patriarch Batholomew of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Constantinople, Patriach Petros of Alexandria, Patriarch Theodoros of Alexandria, Patriarch Shenuda of the Coptic Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria. I also have some letters of blessing for the work of the association by bishops and Patriarchs in different countries .
Published in 'Fidélité et vulnérabilité des plus anciennes Eglises d'Orient' in Les Richesses de l'Orient chrétien, (eds. P.Baud et M.Egger, édition St Augustin, 2000.
www.SMOFonline.org or link on St. Mark’s website: http://stmark.on.coptorthodox.ca and www.stmarkccv.com
I was told that my books are also used as an introduction on the Oriental Orthodox Churches for the first years students by some university professors.
His email on March 4th 2005 says : « My active interest in the Oriental Orthodox Churches and our eventual rapprochement remains a top priority. This very Monday (March 6th 2005) all of our Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox clergy will be having a retreat together with Father Pentiuc of Holy Cross Seminary speaking. We work very closely and their priests will be present at our Lenten Sunday vespers and we will be also at the Coptic Church… There are other Eastern Orthodox priests who do have a genuine interest, but I am not sure who is actively engaged in it here. Our local Father Simeon Odabashian of the Armenian church is an official participant in the dialogue here. We are good friends ( he is priest at Saints Sahag and Mesrop parish in Providence, Rhode Island) and we are in close contact… The Indian Orthodox diocese here has a seminarian at St. Tikhons Seminary and in their yearbook, he wrote an article about his Church… ».