The entire fellowship of the World Council of Churches (WCC) rejoices, said the WCC general secretary, Reverend Dr. Sameul Kobia, as a historic achievement was attained between two of the Council's founding members.
Through an agreement signed on Friday 13 July 2007 in Cairo, Egypt, the Coptic Orthodox Church and the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church have "solemnly declared their unity of faith, their commitment to common witness and their readiness to deepen and expand collaboration, leaving behind more than two decades of tensions," Kobia wrote.
In a letter he wrote to welcome the 'successfully culmina(tion) process of healing and reconciliation' of the Churches involved, he said, "The agreement confirms that true reconciliation among churches is possible."
The letter was sent to the heads of both churches, Pope Shenouda III, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of All Africa and Abune Paulos, Patriarch and Catholicos of Ethiopia and Archbishop of Axum, as well as to Catholicos Aram I, Catholicos of the Armenian Apostolic Church (See of Cilicia), who played an instrumental role as mediator.
