PASTORAL AGREEMENT REGARDING THE SACRAMENT OF MATRIMONY BETWEEN THE PATRIARCHATE OF ALEXANDRIA AND THE COPTIC CHURCH

With commentary

April 5th, 2001

[ Editor's note: Our comments will be in italics, and enclosed in braces. The text is taken from the Patriarchate Of Alexandria press release archives, without change. It actually was written. They are so deluded by ecumenism that they cannot even hide their apostasy! ]

PASTORAL AGRREEMENT [sic] REGARDING THE SACRAMENT OF MATRIMONY BETWEEN THE PATRIARCHATE OF ALEXANDRIA AND THE COPTIC CHURCH

(translation)

A pastoral agreement between the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria and All Africa and the Coptic Church was signed on Thursday, April 5th, 2001 regarding the Sacrament of Matrimony and mixed marriages.

The pastoral agreement was signed by the Heads of the two Churches, His Beatitude Petros VII, Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa and His Beatitude Shenouda III, Patriarch of the Coptic Orthodox Church at the See of the Coptic Patriarchate in Cairo.

The pastoral agreement is a result of the bipartite talks and was accepted by the Holy Synods of both Churches, the dialogue having started between the family of the Orthodox Churches and the family of the traditional East Churches. The agreements achieved in 1989 in Egypt and in 1990 in Geneva related to Christology issues and restoration of the communion between the two families and finally the recognition of the Sacrament of Baptism.

[ Their terminology "traditional East Churches" is an 'ecuspeak' code word for those churches which have not accepted all Ecumenical councils of and after Chalcedon, and still are at least suspected of holding to the Monophysite heresy (which believes that Jesus Christ, had only one nature, His human nature being subsumed into His divinity). Even if their theology is no longer Monophysite (a distinctly arguable point), these churches have been separated from the vine for a millennium, and therefore, true Orthodox cannot have any sacramental communion with them.]

This pastoral agreement recognizes the Holy Sacrament of Matrimony that takes place in any of the two Churches. In more detail, if a member of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria and All Africa marries a member of the Coptic Orthodox Church it is not necessary, any longer, for the service to take place in both Churches. For as long as it has taken place in either Church then the other is obligated to recognize it. This, is hoped, will tighten the relationship between the two Churches and will assist the faithful of either Church who live in Egypt and very often take to mix marriages.

[ The Orthodox only recognize the mysteries of the church, i.e., herself, and not of any group, no matter how sincere, which is outside the church. In the eyes of the church, and Orthodox Christian who marries in a ceremony conducted by the heterodox (or a civil marriage) is not sacramentally married and cannot have communion. This stricture may be relaxed for those who ignorantly entered into unions, not having had proper catechism. and later coming to their senses (this happens often in Russia, for example), but this is a matter of pastoral condescension, and not the rule. But what is one to do when the entire Patriarchate of Alexandria promulgates an incorrect catechism? No matter what a modern document which seems to admit that its purpose is political, the Orthodox Church cannot be obligated to recognize any sacramental act which occurs outside of her. This document officially requires the clergy of the Patriarchate of Alexandria to accept a lie. ]

His Beatitude on this occasion was accompanied by H.G. Alexios, Patriarchal Vicar in Cairo and the Very Revd. George El Samaa.

The two Patriarchs, among everything else, wished this pastoral agreement to help and nurture the growth of cooperation between the two sister Churches.

From the Press Office of the Patriarchate,
Alexandria, April 6th, 2001