COUNCIL OF CATHOLIC PATRIARCHS OF THE ORIENT (CPCO)

Better known by its French acronym CPCO (Conseil des Patriarches Catholiques d'Orient ). The CPCO is a communion of all seven Catholic patriarchs in the Christian East that was formed in 1990 as a sign and instrument of patriarchal collegiality. These seven Catholic patriarchs, in order of precedence, dignity, and honor are:(1) the Patriarch of Antioch and all the East for the Maronite Church, (2) the Coptic Catholic Patriarch of Alexandria, (3) the Patriarch of Antioch and all the East, Alexandria, and Jerusalem for the Melkite Greek Catholic Church, (4) the Patriarch of Antioch and all the East for the Syrian Catholic Church, (5) the Patriarch of Babylon for the Chaldean Catholic Church, (6) the Patriarch (Catholicos ) of Cilicia for the Armenian Catholic Church, and (7) the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem. The seat of the CPCO is the Maronite Patriarchate at Bkerke, Lebanon. The CPCO meets once a year in regular session. Patriarchs preside at each session successively. The CPCO enjoys moral authority without any derogation to the rights and privileges of individual Patriarchs and synodal assemblies of each Patriarchal Church.

The objectives of the CPCO include: (i) to coordinate the pastoral activity of the Catholic Churches of the Orient, (ii) to strengthen the future of Christianity in the Orient, (iii) to consolidate the ties between the faithful of the Diaspora and their Churches, (iv) to foster ecumenical collaboration and interreligious dialogue, (v) to represent the Catholic Churches of the East in the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), and (vi) to promote justice, peace, development and respect for human rights in the Middle East.

[k. alwan]