Greetings of Kurt Cardinal Koch

On the occasion of its 60th anniversary, I would like to thank the PRO ORIENTE Foundation for its precious contribution to ecumenical dialogue since its establishment in the year 1964 by Cardinal Franz König, during the Second Vatican Council.

Since then, the Foundation has played a key role in bringing Western and Eastern Christians closer together. I would like to recall in particular the famous "Vienna Christological Formula", drawn up as part of the "Vienna Dialogue", which served as the basis for the official Christological agreements between the Catholic Church and the various Oriental Orthodox Churches.

I am also eager to mention the many more recent projects aimed at a better understanding of the Christian East, such as the "Listening to the East" conferences on synodality in the Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox Churches, organised under the patronage of the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity.

On behalf of the Holy See, I would like to express my deep gratitude to the leadership and staff of the Foundation PRO ORIENTE for their dedicated and competent service over the past decades.

I am confident that the PRO ORIENTE Foundation will continue its mission for many years to come, promoting unofficial ecumenical conversations, exploring new methodologies for theological dialogue and supporting its reception, contributing to the healing of memories and encouraging the "dialogue of life" at all levels of the Church, in short, promoting the unity of all baptized, “so that the world may believe” (Jn 17:21).

Kurt Cardinal Koch