Ravenna, Italy, Oct 15, 2007 / 12:13 pm (CNA).- The 10th plenary assembly of the Joint International Commission for Theological Dialogue between Catholics and Orthodox, held in the Italian city of Ravenna last week, came to an end yesterday.

During the gathering, the Catholic and Orthodox members of the commission turned their attention to the theme of "the ecclesiological and canonical consequences of the sacramental nature of the Church - conciliarity and sinodality in the Church," and approved a joint document.

The commission also confirmed that the Russian Orthodox delegation withdrew from the meeting because of the presence of the Church of Estonia.

The Church of Estonia has been declared 'autonomous' by the Ecumenical Patriarchate, a status not recognized by the Patriarchate of Moscow." This happened "despite the fact that the Ecumenical Patriarchate, with the agreement of all the Orthodox members present, had offered a compromise solution, that of recording the non-recognition by the Patriarchate of Moscow of the autonomous Church of Estonia."

The theme of the next plenary session, the date and location of which are shortly to be decided, is: "The role of the bishop of Rome in the communion of the Church in the first millennium."

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