(LifeSiteNews) — The Coptic Orthodox Church has decided to reopen dialogue with the Catholic Church after Pope Leo XIV assured Patriarch Tawadros II regarding the “non-blessing of same-sex couples.”

On Friday, the Synod of the Coptic Orthodox Church announced that the decision to resume talks following a May 15 phone discussion between the two leaders.

“The members of the Holy Synod decided to resume theological dialogue with the Catholic Church following the assurances regarding the non-blessing of same-sex couples, which were expressed during the telephone conversation between His Holiness Pope Tawadros II and His Holiness Pope Leo XIV on Friday, May 15 of this year,” explained a statement released by the Coptic Synod. 

The statement does not explain what “assurances” Leo is said to have given.

The Coptic Church broke off dialogue in March 2024 following publication of Fiducia Supplicans, Pope Francis’ declaration permitting “blessings” for homosexual “relationships.” Talks had been ongoing since the 1970s. 

Fiducia Supplicans specifically allows “the possibility of blessing couples in irregular situations and same-sex couples.”  

The decision by the Coptic Church comes despite the Pope seemingly reaffirming Fiducia Supplicans in April. 

Vatican journalist Diane Montagna has noted that, in 2024, the Coptic Holy Synod issued a statement reaffirming its rejection of homosexual “relationships” and condemning “blessings” of such unions as “a blessing for sin.” Although the statement did not directly cite Fiducia Supplicans, Coptic Orthodox spokesman Father Moussa Ibrahim later stated in a video message that the suspension had come in response to Rome’s “change of position on the issue of homosexuality.”

On January 21, 2024, Cardinal Kurt Koch, prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity, publicly acknowledged that the declaration had generated “negative reactions” among Orthodox Christians and disclosed that he had written to Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, requesting clarification as criticism intensified.

Montagna also noted the Vatican’s subsequent attempt to limit the damage to ecumenical relations. In May 2024, Fernández travelled to Cairo to meet Tawadros II, telling him that Fiducia Supplicans did not authorize blessings of same-sex unions themselves, but rather blessings for individuals seeking pastoral assistance.

Responding to a question about the Church in Germany issuing formalized “blessings” for homosexual “couples,” the Pope said in April that the Vatican has objected. He made it clear, however, that the impromptu “blessings” of homosexual “couples” and those in adulterous unions was still permitted, as the Vatican document Fiducia Supplicans says, contrary to the Tradition of the Church.

As part of his comments, the Pope downplayed sexual sin, saying, “We tend to think that, when the Church is talking about morality, the only issue of morality is sexual. In reality, I believe there are much greater and more important [moral] issues, such as justice, equality of freedom for men and women, freedom of religion, that would all take priority before that particular issue.”

On April 23, speaking to journalists aboard the papal flight returning from an apostolic journey to Africa, Pope Leo XIV, after affirming Pope Francis’ permission for homosexual “blessings,” added, “To go beyond that, I think that the topic can cause more disunity than unity, and that we should look for ways to build our unity upon Jesus Christ and what Jesus Christ teaches.”

Leo told reporters on the plane, “The Holy See has already spoken to the German bishops. The Holy See has made it clear that we do not agree with the formalized blessing of homosexual couples or couples in irregular situations, beyond what was specifically allowed by Pope Francis, saying: all people receive blessings.”

“We do not agree with formalized blessing,” the Pope reiterated, adding: “All are welcomed, all are invited, all are invited to follow Jesus, and all are invited to seek conversion in their lives.”