UGCC Bishop organizes ecumenical meeting between Orthodox and Catholics of UK

On November 6, a meeting of members of the Ecumenical Dialogue between the Catholic Church and the Oriental Orthodox Churches of Great Britain took place at the Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral in London. It was organized by the bishop of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church diocese in London, His Eminence Hlib (Lonchyna).

The main topic of the discussion was the exchange of pastoral experience in administering the Holy Mystery of Baptism.

Archbishop Kevin McDonald, the Catholic co-chairman of the dialogue, Archbishop Angaelos of the Coptic Church, the Orthodox co-chairman, Archbishop of Birmingham Bernard Longley, Archbishop Athanasius Thomas Davoud of the Syriac Church, Syro-Malabar Eparch Mar Joseph Srampickal, Bishop Paul Hendricks, Monsignor Keith Newton, canonist John O'Toole, Secretary of the Division for Dialogue and Unity of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales, and other priests and laity, members of the Catholic-Oriental Orthodox Regional Forum of the UK.

The peculiarity of this meeting was a common prayer in the Byzantine rite in the cathedral church of the Holy Family.

Bishop Hlib greeted the guests and all those attending. In his words, he pointed out the purpose of the ecumenical assembly: joint discussion, shared knowledge, prayer and creation of an atmosphere of goodwill.

Archbishop Kevin McDonald also spoke to the audience, highlighting the forum’s mission – to establish better cooperation between the Churches. The sermon was said by Archbishop Athanasius of the Syriac Orthodox Church.

In the end, the shepherds of the Catholic and Orthodox Churches bestowed episcopal blessing on their faithful.