Greetings

Inspired by the Ecumenical vision of the Second Vatican Council, Cardinal Franz Koenig founded the the Pro Oriente Foundation for the reconciliation between the Latin West and the Churches of the Byzantine tradition.

Soon the Oriental Orthodox Churches and the Church of the East were invited to join the Ecumenical journey.

For the Eastern Churches, which were prevented from regular meetings and exchanges because of socio- political situations, it was the beginning of a new era.

Pro Oriente provided a forum for the dialogues and consultations with the Roman Catholic Church, and also for regular exchanges among the Oriental Orthodox Churches.

The program for dialogue within the Churches of the Syriac Tradition ( later Forum Syriacum), opened a forum for the Churches of West and East Syriac Traditions and to rediscover their common heritage.

The most conspicuous result of the Pro Oriente Consultaions is the creation of a mutual trust and friendship between the leaders and scholars, with a genuine desire for restoring communion which has been broken for sixteen centuries.

Fr Baby Varghese