Church of the East and Church of the West

Abstract

Christian unity has always been a desire and a challenge in the history of Christianity. The schism of 1054 is thus a symbolic moment of constant challenge. The present text seeks to make a journey along the path of ecumenical dialogue, especially between the Catholic Church and the Eastern Churches, trying to understand the reasons for separation and, at the same time, the effort to find a way of dialogue. The basis of the research are the documents developed by the Catholic Church, and those prepared in collaboration with other Churches. He also wishes to reflect on the traditions of the Christian East, with the aim of promoting the ecumenical journey of believers in Christ towards full communion and unity. It highlights the role of the Second Vatican Council and its consequences for ecumenical dialogue, highlighting the relationship with the Eastern Churches, especially after the collapse of communism in Eastern Europe. It also underlines the magisterial role of Popes Paul VI and John Paul II, who continued ecumenical dialogue in the commitment to make the Church breathe with both lungs. On this journey we have moved from the dialogue of charity to the dialogue of truth. The steps taken in recent years are described with the documents resulting from the dialogue: Monaco (1982), Bari (1987), Valamo (1988), Balamand (1993), Ravenna (2007), Chieti (2016) and Alessandria (2023).