PRESS RELEASE
Western Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America
H.E. Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian, Prelate
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La Crescenta, CA 91214
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FELLOWSH IP OF ORIENTAL ORTHODOX SPIRITUAL LEADERS ISSUE JOINT COMMUNIQUE

On Tuesday, May 16, 2006, the spiritual leaders of the Oriental Orthodox
Churches met to discuss various issues of concern. Included in the
discussion were the `Da Vinci Code’ and the `Gospel of Judas’.
The fellowship was hosted by H.G. Bishop Joseph Al-Zehlaoui of
the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese, and with the participation of
H.E. Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian, Prelate, H.E. Archbishop Hovnan
Derderian, Primate, H.G. Bishop Serapion of the Coptic Orthodox Church, and
H.E. Archbishop Mor Clemis Eugene Kaplan of the Syriac Orthodox Church.
Also in attendance were Fr. Michael Najim of St. Nicholas Cathedral and Fr.
Abdallah Zaidan of Our Lady of Mt. Lebanon Cathedral.
At the conclusion of the fellowship, it was decided that a joint
communique be issued to the faithful regarding the `Da Vinci Code’ and the
`Gospel of Judas’. The following is the text of the communique.

`We, as Orthodox Bishops caution our faithful about the movie `Da Vinci
Code’, which falsifies the reality of our Lord Jesus Christ. Based on
fiction and falsehood, this movie tries to discredit the fundamentals of our
Christian Orthodox faith and attack the authenticity of the New Testament.
Also, we caution our faithful about the `Gospel of Judas’. This
`gospel’, better entitled the Judas Document is neither `good news’ (the
meaning of `gospel’) nor was it written by Judas Iscariot, nor is it even
particularly `new’. This ancient manuscript was roundly condemned and
refuted by the early Church Fathers.
In the midst of the media’s relentless avalanche of
anti-Christian propaganda concerning our Lord Jesus Christ, we are confident
that you are standing firm in your Orthodox faith. Battling for our
Apostolic Faith, which bears the Truth of who Jesus Christ is, we must
remain undismayed by attacks that the media launches against the accuracy
and veracity of the four Gospels.’