Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches, on March 24, 2018, offered a gift to Pope Francis: the new edition of Oriente Cattolico, an initiative promoted by the Dicastery of Palazzo Bramante, published in collaboration with Valore Italiano Editore. The publication of the work takes place on the occasion of the celebrations for the Centenary of the foundation of the Congregation (1917-2017).
Oriente Cattolico brings together useful information on the Oriental Catholic Churches in a systematic way. Compared to the previous edition (1974), this has involved a re-evaluation of the formulation of the ecclesiological categories and an updating of the historical profile. It also presents bibliographic appendices, for further research as appropriate, and cartographic sections showing the presence of oriental Catholics on all continents. It is therefore offered as a tool to shed light on Oriental Christianity in the world, and the problems linked to it. The three volumes, bound and presented in a slipcase, are a valuable work. It is available also in electronic version, in the Kindle format. Given the importance of the Oriente Cattolico project, it also has a dedicated internet portal, at www.orientecattolico.com.
The hope of the prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches is that the dioceses, parishes, educational institutes, universities, and schools may offer opportunities for exchange and reflection on this very rich patrimony of faith and culture, together with immense suffering, so that the Christian East may be increasingly known and appreciated.
