in America (ELCA) over fellowship with the Episcopal Church 2000 Visions of the Virgin Mary are reported in Assiut, Upper Egypt; phenomena associated to Mary is reported again in 2006, in a church at the same location during the Divine Liturgy. Local Coptic priests and then the Coptic Orthodox Church of Assiut issue statements in 2000 and 2006 respectively 21st century 2001 Armenia marks 1,700th anniversary of Christianity as its state religion (First country to adopt Christianity as its state religion – Kingdom of Armenia – 301 AD) 2003 Mission Province is established in Church of Sweden: heralding a new era for confessional Lutheranism in Scandinavia 2003 – Publication of Back To Jerusalem Called to Complete the Great Commission 2003 – Coptic priest Fr. Zakaria Botros begins his television and internet mission to Muslims, resulting in thousands of conversions 2005 Death of Pope John Paul II, election of Pope Benedict XVI 2005 United Church of Christ becomes first protestant denomination to support same-sex marriage in the U.S., and one of the first denominations worldwide to do so 2006 Legion of Christ begins to rapidly decline following the disgrace of its founder Marcial Maciel 2006 World Methodist Council votes unanimously to adopt the Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification 2006 Abdul Rahman, an Afghan Christian convert, is forced out of Afghanistan by local Muslim leaders and exiled to Italy 2006 Jerusalem Declaration on Christian Zionism, signed by several Christian denominations in the Middle East, criticizes the doctrine as associating the Gospel with imperialism and militarism 2007 American Association of Lutheran Churches and LCMS declare pulpit and altar fellowship 2007, May 17: Russian Orthodox Church is reunified after 80 years of schism with Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia, a formerly True Orthodox sect that officially became semi-Autonomous 2007 Pope Benedict XVI issues his motu proprio Summorum Pontificum, which liberalized the use of the traditional Latin Mass 2008 Conservative Anglicans indicate plans to split from liberal Anglicans in "The Jerusalem Declaration" 2009 Damien of Molokai canonized; apostle to lepers 2009, August 21: Minneapolis Churchwide Assembly of the ELCA passes four ministry policy resolutions that permit clergy in committed homosexual partnerships to be rostered leaders within the ELCA 2009 Mar Varghese Payyappilly Palakkappilly declared Servant of God 2009 Manhattan Declaration: A Call of Christian Conscience is issued, signed by over 150 American religious leaders 2009 Anglican Church in North America is founded by