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Ecumenical Engagement 177

accused the Cilician clergy of diverting the
Church from its orthodox faith and tradi-
tions. The Cilician clergy, in their turn,
criticized the ultra-conservatism of the clergy
of Armenia, emphasizing the vital impor-
tance of dialogue and rapprochement among
the churches. Indeed, Cilicia became a
turning point in the ecumenical openness of
the Armenian Church. Catholicos Nerses the
Gracious (1166-1173) and Archbishop Nerses
Lampronatsi (1153-1198) were the champions
of the Armenian Church's ecumenical spirit
of tolerance and broadmindedness. Through
their writings, correspondence, and dialogue
with the Greek and Latin churches, these
iconic figures of Armenian ecumenism dis-
played courageously and unambiguously the
position of the Armenian Church regarding
divisive issues, as well as the ways to over-
come them and restore the unity of the
church.
Hence, the ecumenical spirit was integral
to the life and witness of the Armenian
Church even before the emergence of the
modern ecumenical movement in the world
Christendom. The Armenian Church carried
on the Cilician ecumenical experience with
renewed vigor, particularly in the diaspora,
and it continues that robust commitment
today in its bilateral and multilateral ecu-
menical relations, dialogue, and collabora-
tion.