The Milan Council of Christian Churches (CCCM) is a Communion of Churches who acknowledge the Lord Jesus Christ as God and Saviour in accordance with the Holy Scriptures – that is, they believe that the Man called Jesus who lived about 2,000 years ago is truly the Christ, He whom God has sent to us, who is His Son and our Saviour according to the Holy Scriptures (i.e. the Bible, which embraces the Old and New Testaments, the part recognized by the Hebrews plus the more recent part on which the Christian message is more specifically founded, the four Gospels, the Acts of the Apostles, the Epistles
or Letters and the Book of Revelation) – and for this reason try to respond to the calling they have in common to give glory to God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. All the Christian Churches which belong to the Milan Council proclaim the one faith in the Trinitarian God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit – and try to give witness together to the Gospel message.

What is the aim of the Council?

All the Christian Churches who have sent a delegation have agreed that the aims of the Council are:
a) give common witness to the Gospel of Jesus Christ;
b) cultivate an ecumenical attitude within the Churches, aware and respectful of the differences existing within the belief in the same faith, in order to achieve
greater cohesion and a more sincere common Christian witness notwithstanding these differences;
c) encourage authentic reciprocal knowledge of the different Churches;
d) plan and promote ecumenical activities together;
e) circulate information about the ecumenical movement;
f) try to find common solutions to the religious problems confronting the Christian faith;
g) suggest ecumenical pastoral attitudes and initiatives;
h) discuss and clarify together possible misunderstandings between the Churches; i) monitor the accuracy of the information about the Churches in the media.

When did the CCCM come together?

The CCCM started up in our city six years ago, in 1998, thanks to a small group of Churches, and has gradually grown to include the present number of 17 which make up the assembly.
The chairmen of the Milan Council of Christian Churches have been:
the Evangelical Baptist Church pastor Paolo Spanu (1998-1999);
the Romanian Orthodox priest and theologian Traian Valdman (2000-2001);
The Ambrosian Catholic Church priest Gianfranco Bottoni (2002-2004).
The The Waldensian Gioachino Pistone (2004-2006). The present chairman is Romanian Orthodox priest and theologian Traian Valdman (2006-2008).

Which Churches participate?

Many Christian confessions make up the Council of Churches as well as the Catholic Church, which many Italians mistakenly believe to be the only Christian Church.

In fact the members of the CCCM, as peers, are the following Churches:
Anglican, Ambrosian Catholic, Coptic Orthodox of Egypt, Coptic Orthodox of Eritrea, Lutheran Evangelical, Reformed Evangelical, Evangelical Baptist, Evangelical Methodist, Evangelical Waldensian, Swedish Lutheran, Salvation Army, Orthodox of the Patriarchate of Constantinople, Orthodox of the Patriarchate of Bucharest, Orthodox of the Patriarchate of Moscow, Orthodox of the Patriarchate of Belgrade, Ethiopian Orthodox, Old Catholic Church of the Union of Utrecht

How is the CCCM structured?

Eighteen delegations belonging to diverse areas of Christianity take part in the CCCM. Each delegation can have a changing number of members, not exceeding twelve. Each delegation can express one sole vote in assembly except for procedural matters where each delegate has a right to vote. The resolutions are made by the assembly according to the unanimous decision of the delegations present representing the Churches. During these four years of common effort, the Christian Churches of Milan have deepened their reciprocal knowledge, streamlined their work method, agreed on terminology and, above all, developed a sincere and operative sense of fraternity. One of the results of this common journey was the drawing up of a Statute made of 10 brief articles, approved by each Church according to its own laws to safeguard their identity and autonomy. The Council works mainly in the pastoral sphere to promote the spirit of ecumenism and collaboration between the member Churches.

What is it we do?

Creating a spirituality of communion entails realizing concrete activities in order to meet, get to know, learn to love one another, and collaborate in true  brotherhood to the best of our ability. The Milan Council of Christian Churches operates in this direction by organizing the following activities:
–programme of events for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity;
–ecumenical Vigil of Pentecost;
–prayer meetings for peace;
–activities for Creation Day;
–participation to the World Day for Peace in Milan’s Duomo on New Year’s Day.
In June 2004 it organized an ecumenical peace walk in Jerusalem.

For further information on the CCCM and its activities
or if you wish to contact the Council Secretary
please feel free to write or phone to:
Consiglio delle Chiese Cristiane di Milano
piazza Fontana, 2 – 20122 Milano
tel. 02/8556.355
fax 8556.357
e-mail: ecumenismo@diocesi.milano.it