VZCZCXRO8350
PP RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHLN
RUEHLZ RUEHPOD RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHROV #0023/01 0451626
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 141626Z FEB 08
FM AMEMBASSY VATICAN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0913
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLAD COLLECTIVE
RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE
RUCNEEC/EASTERN EUROPEAN COUNTRIES COLLECTIVE
RUEHROV/AMEMBASSY VATICAN 0947

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 VATICAN 000023 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV KIRF IS UP VT
SUBJECT: HOLY SEE OFFICIAL DISCUSSES ORIENTAL CHURCHES, 
ORTHODOX-CATHOLIC DIALOGUE, AND ISRAEL 
 
REF: A.  VATICAN 1     B. TEL AVIV 318 
 
VATICAN 00000023  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1.  (SBU) Summary:  The institutional arrangements that the Holy 
See has with "Oriental Churches" can serve as a model for 
further rapprochement between the Catholic and Orthodox 
Churches.  In communion with the Pope, Oriental Churches conduct 
masses following the Byzantine rite and administer their own 
affairs under the broad oversight of the Holy See's Congregation 
for Oriental Churches.  While this Congregation does not have 
the lead on Catholic-Orthodox dialogue, it is mindful of 
Orthodox sensitivities, particularly with regards to the 
Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church.  The Congregation for Oriental 
Churches is also responsible for Catholic Church matters in the 
Holy Land.  In recent times, Congregation officials have 
expressed their frustration with Israel's visa and fiscal 
policies.  Oriental Churches are a fundamental part of the Holy 
See's effort to propagate Catholicism and promote ecumenical and 
inter-religious dialogue.  End summary. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) Charge d'Affaires met with Archbishop Antonio Veglio, 
Secretary of the Congregation for Oriental Churches and a member 
 
SIPDIS 
of the Holy See-Israel bilateral Commission, on February 4. 
Poloff also attended the meeting. 
 
Oriental Churches:  Complex but effective arrangements 
--------------------------------------------- -------------- 
---------------------- 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Reflecting on his responsibilities as the second in 
command at the Congregation (which is headed by Cardinal 
Leonardo Sandri), Archbishop Veglio commented how "one is never 
bored when dealing with Oriental Churches".  (Note:  Oriental 
Churches are mostly in the Middle East and East and Central 
Europe.  Their designation as "Oriental" denotes their Byzantine 
-- as opposed to Roman -- origins and heritage.  End note.)  For 
historical reasons these Churches have retained their eastern 
rites and enjoy a great level of autonomy on internal matters 
but are part of the universal Catholic Church.  There are five 
Oriental Churches headed by patriarchs:  the Coptic Church of 
Alexandria, the Syrian Church of Antioch, the Greek-Melkite 
Church of Antioch, the Chaldean Church of Babylon, and the 
Armenian Church of Cilicia.  In addition, four Oriental Churches 
are headed by "Major Archbishops":  two in India, one in Romania 
and one in Ukraine.  The major archbishops are similar to the 
patriarchs in enjoying a high level of independence to run their 
congregations, even if they don't have the more prestigious 
"patriarch" designation.  The patriarchs and major archbishops 
accept Roman-Catholic theology and recognize a special role for 
the Pope as the bishop of Rome and the successor of Peter, and 
for this reason are considered to be "in communion" with the 
Holy See. 
 
Ukraine's Greek-Catholic Church, a patriarchate in disguise 
--------------------------------------------- -------------- 
--------------------------- 
 
¶4.  (SBU) Veglio noted that the Greek-Catholic Major Archbishop 
of Ukraine was the head of the largest Oriental Church, with 
three to five million followers in Ukraine alone.  (Note: 
worldwide, it is estimated that they are over six million.  End 
note).  Because of its size and institutional development, this 
Kiev-based Church could be elevated to the rank of patriarchate. 
 However, the Holy See would not do it in order not to offend 
the Orthodox Church, who often sees as competitors Oriental 
Churches operating in Eastern and Central Europe whose rites are 
very similar to its own.  (Note:  On February first, and for the 
first time since 1937, the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic bishops met 
with the Pope, who exhorted them to work with the Orthodox in 
advancing ecumenical dialogue.  The Soviet Union, and later 
Orthodox sensibilities, had prevented the bishops from visiting 
the pope periodically, as prescribed by canon law.  End note.) 
Veglio noted that, within the Holy See, the dicastery 
responsible for dialogue with the Orthodox is the Pontifical 
Council for Promoting Christian Unity.  However, he added, the 
Congregation for Oriental Churches pays attention to this 
dialogue and is mindful of Orthodox sensitivities. 
 
A model for potential arrangements with the Orthodox 
--------------------------------------------- -------------- 
------------------- 
 
¶5.  (SBU) The Holy See's relations with Oriental Churches could 
serve as a model for an eventual reunification of Catholics and 
Orthodox.  In a presentation published by the Osservatore Romano 
(the Vatican newspaper), Cardinal Peter Erdo, President of the 
Council of the European Episcopal Conference, argued that a 
"Constitutional Treaty" between the Orthodox and the Catholics 
modeled after the Holy See's own institutional arrangements with 
Oriental Churches could serve to mutually recognize and 
reconcile Orthodox and Roman-Catholic canon law -- once/if 
 
VATICAN 00000023  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
theological and dogmatic disagreements are resolved.  (e.g. 
Catholic assertions on the primacy of the pope and the nature of 
the Holy Spirit in the Trinity.  End note.) 
 
Oriental Churches in the Holy Land, Relations with Israel 
--------------------------------------------- -------------- 
----------------------- 
 
¶6.  (SBU) Regarding Holy See relations with Israel and the 
ongoing discussions on taxation of Church property and other 
issues, Veglio confirmed that the December meeting of the 
bilateral commission in Jerusalem had not resulted in any 
progress (reftel a), but looks forward to its next plenary 
meeting, scheduled to take place in Rome in May (Note: in 
addition to the plenary meetings, there are working group 
meetings of the commission that take place more frequently.  End 
note.)  Veglio -- who had publicly criticized Israeli visa 
policies -- stated that there had been a minor improvement in 
obtaining visas for religious personnel,  but that it was still 
difficult for Arab clergy to access the Holy Land.  (Note: 
Veglio said that he had not followed in detail the latest on 
visas, so he might have not been fully aware of developments 
reported in reftel b.  End note.) 
 
Comment:  the importance of minority presence 
--------------------------------------------- -------------- 
---------- 
 
¶7.  (SBU) Comment:  Oriental Churches are a fundamental part of 
the universal Catholic Church.  In the Middle East, they 
maintain an ever-endangered presence in Biblical lands.  In East 
and Central Europe, they co-exist, imperfectly, with 
Greek-Orthodox patriarchates.  Since the Second Vatican Council, 
the Holy See has redefined the propagation of the Catholic 
faith, emphasizing evangelization by testimony (asking Catholics 
to live exemplary lives that will cast Catholicism in the best 
of light) rather than preaching conversion.  Ecumenism (the 
reunification of all Christian religions) and inter-religious 
dialogue (improving relations with non Christian religions and 
promoting tolerance and religious freedom) are also key elements 
of the Holy See's engagement with non-Catholics.  For 
evangelization-by-testimony, ecumenism and inter-religious 
dialogue to grow, the Holy See understands that it is 
fundamental to maintain a Catholic presence in places where 
other religious denominations constitute a majority.  As the 
ecumenical dialogue gains momentum, the Holy See is optimistic 
about the future of Oriental Churches in Eastern and Central 
Europe.  In the Middle East, however, the exodus of Christians 
continues, a trend that worries and saddens the Holy See.  End 
comment. 
SANDROLINI