Leaders of America’s Oriental Orthodox churches warmly welcomed Diocesan Primate Fr. Mesrop Parsamyan, as he took part in the latest meeting of the Standing Conference of Oriental Orthodox Churches. It was the first time Fr. Parsamyan joined fellow church leaders in his role as Primate of the Eastern Diocese.
The meeting on Thursday, June 23, was hosted by Archbishop Mor Titus Yeldho and the Malankara Archdiocese of the Syriac Orthodox Church in New Jersey. Bishop Daniel Findikyan was also in attendance, and received the gracious good wishes of the other Oriental Orthodox hierarchs. Rounding out the Diocesan delegation was Fr. Diran Bohajian, longtime pastor of St. Leon Church in Fair Lawn, NJ.
The Oriental Orthodox “family” of churches includes the Coptic, Syriac, Eritrean, Malankara, Ethiopian, and Armenian churches. All are united in distinctive theological teachings, and have been in communion with one another since ancient times. The Standing Conference of Oriental Orthodox Churches (informally known as SCOOCH) is the formal body that brings together the clergy of those churches who lead their respective American jurisdictions.
At the June 23 meeting, the church leaders discussed the ongoing dialogues between the Oriental Orthodox and the Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic churches. Participants also made special reference to the persecution endured by the Eritrean Orthodox Church in Africa, and prayed for its clergy and members.