Syriac Orthodox Archbishops present handcrafted Bible to Pope Leo XIV, reaffirm commitment to Christian unity

VATICAN — At the directive of Syriac Orthodox Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II, two prominent archbishops of the Syriac Orthodox Church — Patriarchal Vicar of the Archdiocese of Sweden and Archbishop of Switzerland and Austria Mor Dioscorus Benjamin Atash — visited the Vatican to foster inter-Church unity.

The archbishops were warmly received by Pope Leo XIV, to whom they presented a Syriac-language Bible adorned with a handcrafted cover made in Jerusalem’s Holy Land. Accompanying the gift was a formal letter from the Syriac Orthodox Patriarch underscoring the Church’s unwavering commitment to Christian unity and its historical ties with the Roman Catholic Church.

The letter revisited significant milestones in inter-Church dialogue, including the 1971 meeting between Pope Paul VI and Mor Ignatius Jacob III, the 1983 encounter between Pope John Paul II and Mor Ignatius Zakka I Iwas, and the 2015 dialogue between Pope Francis and Mor Ignatius Aphrem II. These references underscored longstanding efforts to bridge theological and cultural divides between the Antiochian Syriac Orthodox tradition and the Roman Catholic Church.

This symbolic visit reinforced a renewed push for collaboration amidst global challenges facing Christian communities. The shared spiritual heritage and mutual goals for peace and unity served as a powerful testament to the enduring partnership between these two ancient traditions.