In the love of God the Father, by the grace of the Only Begotten Son, and by the gift of the Holy Spirit.

    On Friday, the 12th of February 1988, the mixed commission of the dialogue between the Catholic Church and the Coptic Orthodox Church met in the Monastery of Saint Bishoy, Wadi El Natrun, in Egypt.

    His Holiness Pope Shenouda III opened the meeting by prayer. His Excellency Giovanni Moretti, the Apostolic Pro Nuncio in Egypt, and Reverend Father Pierre Duprey, Secretary of the Vatican Secretariate for Promoting Christian Unity, attended this meeting representing His Holiness Pope John Paul II and enabled to sign this agreement. Also bishops delegated by His Beatitude Stephanos II Ghattas, Patriarch of the Coptic Catholic Church, were present and delegated to sign this agreement.

    We have rejoiced at the historical meeting that happened in the Vatican on May 1973, between His Holiness Pope Paul VI and His Holiness Pope Shenouda III. This was the first meeting since about 15 centuries between our two Churches.

    In that meeting we found ourselves in agreement on many issues of faith. In that meeting also a mixed commission was formed to discuss the issues of difference of doctrine and faith between the two Churches aiming at church unity. Previously in Vienna, September 1971, Pro Oriente arranged a meeting between theologians of the Catholic Church and those of the Oriental Orthodox Churches: the Coptic, the Syrian, the Armenian, the Ethiopian, and the Indian. They achieved an agreement concerning Christology.

    We are grateful to God that we are now able to sign a common formula expressing our official agreement on Christology which was already approved by the Holy Synod of the Coptic Orthodox Church on 21st June, 1986.

    All other issues of difference between our Churches will be discussed successively according to God's will.

The Brief Formula

We believe that our Lord, God and Savior Jesus Christ, the Incarnate-Logos is perfect in His Divinity and perfect in His Humanity. He made His Humanity one with His Divinity without mixture nor mingling, nor confusion. His Divinity was not separated from His Humanity even for a moment or twinkling of an eye.

At the same time, we Anathematize the Doctrines of both Nestorius and Eutyches.

Monastery Saint Bishoy, February 12, 1988

    Coptic Orthodox Church

Shenouda III (Copt. Orth.)

†Bishop Bishoy (Copt. Orth.)
G. Secretary of the Holy Synod

Bishop Benyamin (Copt. Orth.)

Bishop Serapion
Bishop of Public, Ecumenical and Social Services (Copt. Orth.)

†Bishop Moussa
Bishop of Youth (Copt. Orth.)

Bishop Picenti (Copt. Orth.)

†Bishop Paula, (Copt. Orth.)

Bishop Athanasios
Metropolitan of Beni Suef (Copt. Orth.)

Maurice Tadros Abd Mariam (Copt. Orth.)

Emile Maher Isak (Copt. Orth.)

Rev. Antonios Ragheb
parish priest, Cairo

    Catholic Church

†Giovanni Moretti (Rom. Cath.)

†Mgr. Athanasios Abadir (Copt. Cath.)

Amba Youhanna Colta (Copt. Cath.)

Gérard Daucourt SPC (Rom. Cath.)

Fouad Twal (Copt. Cath.)

Father Francis Nouer (Copt. Cath.)

E. Nomis (Rom. Cath.)

Father George Obeid CM (Copt. Cath.)

Amin Fahim (Copt. Cath.)

P. Makarios Tewfik (Copt. Cath.)

P. Iskander Wadih (Copt. Cath.)

†Stephanos II Ghattas CM
Patr. of Alex (Copt. Cath.)

Pierre Duprey (Rom. Cath.)