Elements of Ecumenical Dialogue in Roman Catholic Missions of the Early Modern Era: Example of the Capuchin Mission in Egypt in the Seventeenth Century

This paper presents the elements of ecumenical dialogue in the mission of the Capuchin friars in Egypt in the seventeenth century. While such was not ecumenical dialogue in the sense of modern theology which knows no proselytism, the foundations of ecumenical dialogue were already present in their mission. This practice was partly due to the renewal of missionary work under the aegis of De Propaganda Fide , the charism of the Capuchin Order and their historical unencumberedness with the political and economic ambitions of European powers in the Middle East.