| Archive DECR chairman meets with His Beatitude Patriarch John X of Antioch 5 March 2022 year 10:40 On March 4, 2022, His Beatitude John X, Patriarch of Great Antioch and All the East, received in audience at the Patriarchate of Antioch, the Chairman of the Department for External Church Relations, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk who came on a visit to Syria with a blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia. Metropolitan Hilarion conveyed warm greetings to the Primate of the Orthodox Church of Antioch from His Holiness Patriarch Kirill and a pectoral icon, a gift from His Holiness. During a prolonged meeting, which was held in an atmosphere of cordiality and mutual understanding, they discussed various aspects of the bilateral relations between the Orthodox Church of Antioch and the Russian Orthodox Church, as well as other matters of mutual concern. In particular, His Beatitude Patriarch John pointed to the great importance of the work of the Children’s Rehabilitation and Prosthesis Center under the Damascus Representation of the Russian Orthodox Church as very important not only for the Church of Antioch but also for the whole Syrian people regardless of their faith. His Beatitude invoked God’s blessing upon the forthcoming work of this establishment, which is planned to open in a solemn ceremony on Sunday, the 6th of March. They were joined in their talk by Patriarchal auxiliary bishops - Moussa of Daraya, Gregorios of Emirates, Arsanios of Hierapolis, Mousa of Larissa. Among the participants in the meeting were also Archpriest Nikolay Balashov, DECR vice-chairman; Hegumen Arseniy (Sokolov), representative of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia to the Patriarchal See of Antioch; Rev. Alexander Karzan, secretary to the DECR chairman; I. A. Parfenov, deputy general director of the Poznanie (Knowledge) Charitable Foundation; Dr Jihad Mouhammad Haddad, chief physician of the Children’s Rehabilitation and Prosthesis Center under the Damascus Representation of the Russian Orthodox Church; Mr. Hasan Raya, the Center administrator; and Mr. Vyacheslav Li, an adviser to the DECR chairman. DECR Communication Service /Patriarchia.ru Календарь ← 7 December 2023 year |
| Archive DECR chairman meets with Italia’s ambassador to Russia 27 August 2018 year 16:33 August 27, 2018 – Metropolitan Hilarion, head of the Moscow Patriarchate department for external church relations (DECR), met with newly appointed Italian Ambassador to Russia Pasquale Terracciano. Participating in the meeting were also, from the Russian Orthodox Church, Archbishop Antoniy of Vienna and Budapest, head of the Moscow Patriarchate office for the institutions abroad; and Archpriest Sergiy Zvonarev, DECR secretary for the far abroad. From the Italian embassy, there was Mr. Benedetto Giuntini, councillor for political affairs. Metropolitan Hilarion warmly welcomed the new head of the Italian diplomatic mission to the oldest synodal department of the Russian Orthodox Church responsible for her internal contacts. Mr. Terracciano, in his turn, pointed to the significance of the meeting and the important role played by religious dialogue in the world today, which makes it possible to tackle various problems. The DECR chairman told his interlocutor about the life of the Russian Orthodox Church, her ministry in countries of her canonical territory and pastoral care for the diaspora in far-abroad states. Among the issues discussed was the interreligious dialogue in Russia, contacts between the Russian Church and the Roman Catholic Church and Protestant communities, as well as church-state relations. At the request of the head of the Italian diplomatic mission, Metropolitan Hilarion shared information about the Orthodox Church and her past and present, canonical boundaries and the diptych of the Local Orthodox Church and existing schisms. Archbishop Antoniy told the high-ranking diplomat about the Moscow Patriarchate parishes in Italy, the history of their development and today’s ministry, the cooperation between the administration of the Italian parishes with the Roman Catholic Church in Italy and with Italian authorities. In conclusion, the sides agreed to maintain a high level of interaction, which has been reached in recent years, and exchanged tokens of the meeting. DECR Communication Service /Patriarchia.ru Календарь ← 7 December 2023 year |
| Metropolitan Ilarion of Volokolamsk visits OCA chancellery, meets with head of the Greek Archdiocese in America August 31, 2010 On August 30, 2010, DECR chairman Metropolitan Ilarion of Volokolamsk, who is in the USA on a working visit with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia and on invitation of His Beatitude Metropolitan Jonah of All America and Canada, visited the chancellery of the Orthodox Church in America in Syosset near New York. At the chancellery’s chapel, His Beatitude Metropolitan Jonah said a brief thanksgiving, with His Eminence Ilarion attending. After the service, the DECR chairman had a meeting with Metropolitan Jonah, Bishop Tikhon of Philadelphia and Eastern Pennsylvania, Bishop Michael of New York and New Jersey; Archpriest Alexander Garklavs, chancellor; Archpriest Leonid Kishkovsky, director of foreign and inter-church relations, Archpriest John Behr, rector of St. Vladimir’s Seminary; Archpriest Chad Hatfield, chancellor of the seminary, and Archpriest Alexander Rentel, secretary of the seminary’s academic council. They discussed issues concerning the development of Orthodoxy in the American continent. The DECR chairman spoke about his participation in the Preparatory Commission for the Holy and Great Council of the Orthodox Church and a number of inter-Orthodox events. As a token of Metropolitan Ilarion’s visit to the OCA chancellery, Metropolitan Jonah presented him with an icon of St. Herman of Alaska with particles of the saint’s relics. Metropolitan Ilarion also visited the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of North America to hold a working meeting with Archbishop Demetrios of America. In their talk, which was also joined by Archpriest Mark Arey, secretary of the Archdiocese, and Archpriest Seraphim Gan, secretary of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia’s Holy Synod, they discussed a wide range of issues concerning relations between various Orthodox jurisdictions in North America. Archbishop Demetrios spoke about the work of the North American Bishops’ Assembly, which met for its first session in May 2010. The head of the Greek Archdiocese also shared remembrances of his trips to Russia and meetings with the late Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Russia and the then DECR chairman Metropolitan Kirill, now Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia. Metropolitan Ilarion, on his part, spoke about the development of church life in Russia and other countries under the canonical jurisdiction of the Moscow Patriarchate. As a token of their meeting, the head of the Greek Archdiocese presented the DECR chairman with a bishop’s staff and two volumes of his works in English. DECR Communication Service 31 августа 2010 г. ... Смотри также Комментарии Мы в соцсетях Подпишитесь на нашу рассылку |
| Archive DECR representatives take part in”Protecting the Future” International Conference 24 November 2021 year 18:25 The 3rd “Protecting the Future” International Conference on Combating Xenophobia, Antisemitism, and Racism was held in Moscow on November 22-23, 2021. Attending the opening session with the blessing of Metropolitan Hilarion, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations (DECR), was Archimandrite Philaret (Bulekov), DECR deputy chairman. Yuri Kanner, President of the Russian Jewish Congress; Sergey Vershinin, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation; Konstantin Kosachev, Deputy Chairman of the Federation Council of the Russian Federation; Kairat Abdrakhmanov, OSCE High Commissioner for National Minorities; and Vitaly Suchkov, head of the National Policy and Interregional Relations Department of Moscow City Government, were among the speakers. The first plenary session was followed by panels and youth sessions on preventing xenophobia, antisemitism, islamophobia, racism, their media coverage and influence on culture as well as the role of religious leaders in countering these kinds of intolerance. The second plenary session on “Religious leadership and its influence on interethnic and interfaith tensions” was held in the evening of November 22 with Borukh Gorin, head of external relations department of the Federation of Jewish Communities of Russia, as moderator. Rev. Dimitry Safonov, DECR secretary for interreligious relations and executive secretary of the Interreligious Council of Russia, presented a report on interreligious and peacemaking ministry of religious leaders. On November 23, Archimandrite Philaret and Rev. Dimitry Safonov attended the round table of patrons and philanthropists on financing projects against xenophobia, anti-Semitism, and racism. The moderator was Viktor Vekselberg, consul of the Russian Jewish Congress for Combating Antisemitism and a member of the Bureau of the Presidium of the Congress. The Conference was organized by the Russian Jewish Congress with the support of the Moscow Government, the Federal Agency for Nationality Affairs, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, and the World Jewish Congress. Attending the conference were religious leaders, experts, and state and public figures from forty countries of the world. DECR Communication Service /Patriarchia.ru Календарь ← 7 December 2023 year |
| Archive 28th Russian-German forum of civic societies ‘St. Petersburg Dialogue’ took place in Bonn 20 July 2019 year 10:01 On July 18-19, 2019, the 28 th Russian-German Forum of Civic Societies ‘St. Petersburg Dialogue’ met at the Petersburg borough near Bonn. The topic was ‘Cooperation as Leitmotif in Europe: Contribution of the Civic Societies in Russia and Germany’. The civic discussion forum brought together about 300 specialists from all spheres of society in both countries. Among the attendees were representatives of the Russian Orthodox Church, including Archimandrite Philaret (Bilekov), vice-chairman of the Department for External Church Relations (DECR) and co-chair of the Churches in Europe working group; Archpriest Sergiy Zvonarev, DECR secretary for the far abroad; Hieromonk Ioann (Kopeikin), pro-rector of the Ss Cyril and Methodius Institute of Post-Graduate Studies (CMI); Rev. Ilya Kosykh, head of the DECR communication service; Hierodeacon Yarosalv (Ochkanov), DECR secretariat for the far abroad; V. Kipshidze, deputy head of the Department for Church-Society Relations; Ms. M. Nelyubova, DECR secretariat for inter-Christian relations; O. Yegorova, leader of the St. Dimitry Sisterhood resource center for palliative aid; and Ms. Ms. Ye. Lebedeva, a lecturer at the St. Dimitry Sisterhood and visiting nurse of the St. Alexis Hospital. Messages of greeting to the opening ceremony on July 18 were brought by the heads of foreign ministries of Russia and Germany, Mrs. Sergey Lavrov and Mr. Heiko Maas. Among the speakers were also the forum co-chairs from the both sides – Ronald Pofalla and V. Zubkov as well as Prime Minister of North Rhine-Westphalia Armin Laschet and the Kaliningrad Regional Governor A. Alikhanov. On July 19, the forum worked in ten working groups for discussions and exchange of experience on their own agendas. The meeting of the Churches in Europe Working Group was devoted to the theme ‘Church hospital service in Russian and German societies’. A broad discussion took place on professional training for pastoral service in hospitals in the two countries. Great attention was given to ethical issues. There was an exchange of opinions on the Churches’ experience in the work to give palliative aid as carried out by the Russian Orthodox Church, the Roman Catholic Church and the Evangelical Church of Germany. The event traditionally concluded with a solemn ceremony in which co-chairs of the forum from the Russian and German sides summed up the work and the Peter Boenisch Prizes were presented. DECR Communication Service /Patriarchia.ru Календарь ← 7 December 2023 year |
| Archive The DECR chairman completes his trip to the USA 16 July 2021 year 16:10 On July 15, 2021, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, head of the Department for External Church Relation of the Moscow Patriarchate, completed his visit to the USA made with a blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, to take part in the International Religious Freedom Summit which took place in Washington. At the New York airport, Metropolitan Hilarion was seen off by Russia’s General Consul in the USA Mr. S.K. Ovsyannikov and Hegumen Nikodim (Balyasnikov), a cleric of the St. Nicholas Patriarchal Cathedral. On July 11, Metropolitan Hilarion concelebrated the Divine Liturgy together with His Beatitude Tikhon, Metropolitan of All America and Canada, at the St. Nicholas Cathedral in New York and then had negotiations with the Primate of the Orthodox Church in America. On July 12, the feast of Ss Peter and Paul, Metropolitan Hilarion celebrated the festive Liturgy together with the First Hierarch of the ROCOR, Metropolitan of Eastern America and New York, at the Synodal residence of the Russian Church Outside Russia in New York. On the same day, the DECR chairman, in his capacity of rector of the Ss Cyril and Methodius Institute of Post-Graduate Studies, met with the president of St. Vladimir’s Seminary in New York, Archpriest Chad Hatfield. On July 14, the DECR chairman spoke at the International Religious Freedom Summit in Washington. On the sidelines of the summit, he met with the former ambassador for international religious freedom Mr. Samuel Brownback, president of the Open Doors human right organization Mr. David Curry, vice-president of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association V. G. Gamm, congressman Jim Slattery, German Bundestag member Waldemar Herdt, organizer of the National Prayer Breakfast in the USA Doug Burley, president of the Trans World Radio media company Mr. Lauren Libby, and leader of the Pulse Christian organization Nick Hall. On the same day, Metropolitan Hilarion visited the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist of the Russian Church Outside Russia in Washington where he was received by its rector Archpriest Victor Potapov, and visited the Embassy of the Russian Federation where he met with the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary in the United States, Mr. A. I. Antonov. On July 15, Metropolitan Hilarion held two meetings - with founder of the Catholic Urbi et Orbi foundation, the editor-in-chief of Inside the Vatican monthly Robert Moyinihan, and a hierarch of the Russian Church Outside Russia and former Primate of the Orthodox Church in America Metropolitan Jonah (Paffhausen). During his trip to the USA, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk was accompanied by Philipp Champion, a staff member of the DECR, and Sub-Deacon Vyacheslav Li. DECR Communication Service /Patriarchia.ru Календарь ← 7 December 2023 year |
| Archive DECR chairman meets with Bishop Lukijan of Budimlije 7 September 2021 year 11:27 On September 6, 2021, when on a visit to Hungary, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations, visited the church of St. George’s church of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Budapest. At the entrance to the church, Vladyka Hilarion was met by the Administrator of the Budimlije diocese, Bishop Lukijan. After a short moleben service the hierarch of the Serbian Church extended warm greetings to the DECR chairman. Mentioning his long-time acquaintance with Metropolitan Hilarion that had lasted since his ministry in Hungary, Vladyka Lukijan expressed his joy with His Eminence’s coming to Budapest and with visiting the local Serbian parish. As Bishop Lukijan said, that visit had become another evident manifestation of the closeness of the Russian and Serbian Churches. The Bishop expressed hope that this closeness would further promote the service of the two Churches in the conditions of today that often happened to be difficult. The Administrator of the Budimlije diocese touched upon the situation of the Orthodox Church in Montenegro in particular. He said that he had just returned fr om Cetinje, wh ere he had participated in the ceremony of the enthronement of Metropolitan Joanikije of Montenegro and Littoral. He was happy to mention the presence of a delegation of the Moscow Patriarchate there, and asked for a prayerful support for the Orthodox of Montenegro who were preserving their faithfulness to the canonical Church. Bishop Lukijan conveyed greetings from His Holiness Patriarch Porfirije of the Serbian Orthodox Church to Metropolitan Hilarion and presented him with an icon of St. Peter of Cetinje for prayerful memory. The DECR chairman expressed heartfelt gratitude to the representative of the Serbian Orthodox Church for a welcome extended to him and said that he had warm relationship with the local diocese of the Serbian Orthodox Church during the years of his ministry in Hungary, adding that this tradition has survived, bringing good fruits. Metropolitan Hilarion noted the Russian Orthodox Church’s unwavering support of the unity of the Serbian Orthodox Church and added that His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia had congratulated Metropolitan Joanikije of Montenegro and the Littoral on his enthronement. The DECR chairman wished Bishop Lukijan God’s aid in his archpastoral care for the faithful of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Hungary and presented him with some of his books published in the Hungarian language. Fraternal repast followed. DECR Communication Service /Patriarchia.ru Календарь ← 7 December 2023 year |
| Archive DECR Chairman arrives to India 28 September 2023 year 16:24 On September 27, 2023, with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, Chairman of the Department for External Church Relations Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk started his visit to India. The visit comes at the invitation of the Malankara Church of India and the Christian Conference of Asia, which is currently holding its XV General Assembly in the city of Kottayam in India’s state of Kerala. On September 28, Metropolitan Anthony visited the church of the Most Holy Theotokos in the city of Niranam, one of the most ancient Christian churches of India, which was erected on the site of one of the seven churches, built in the I century by Saint Thomas the Apostle. At the gate of the church, His Eminence was solemnly greeted by its rector and member of the Malankara Association Managing Committee Metropolitan Chrysostomos of Niranam, and by members of clergy and parishioners. Metropolitan Anthony offered a prayer at the chest with a particle of the relics of Saint Thomas the Apostle, the particle reposing in its dedicated chapel, and had a conversation with members of the Managing Committee. After that, His Eminence Anthony proceeded to visit the church of Saint Gregorios in the city of Parumala, the site of special veneration for India’s Christians, visited by hundreds of pilgrims daily. The representative of the Russian Orthodox Church was greeted by President of the Department of Church Relations Metropolitan Yuhanon Mar Demetrios of Delhi. In the meeting after that, the two hierarchs discussed a broad spectrum of topics focusing on bilateral relations between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Malankara Church of India. DECR Chairman also got acquainted with the work of the St. Gregorios International Cancer Care Centre, part of St. Gregorios Medical Mission Hospital of Parumala, the largest hospital owned and managed by the Malankara Church. On the same day, Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk was an honorary guest at the opening of the XV General Assembly of the Christian Conference of Asia, which brings together representatives of most of the Asian Churches and multiple guests. The session was opened by General Secretary of the Christian Conference of Asia Dr. M. G. Chunakara, General Secretary of the World Council of Churches Dr. J. Pillay, His Holiness Catholicos of Malankara Baselios Marthoma Mathews III, and leaders of the Christian communities of India. The visit to India by Metropolitan Anthony will continue until October 2. In his visit, His Eminence is accompanied by DECR Secretary for Inter-Christian Relations Hieromonk Stephan (Igumnov) and by DECR Chairman Assistant Priest Aleksandr Yershov. DECR Communication Service /Patriarchia.ru Календарь ← 7 December 2023 year |
| Archive First meeting held in 2021 by Presidential Council for International Cooperation’s commission for interaction with religious associations 9 April 2021 year 15:38 On April 9, 2021, the Commission for International Cooperation of the Presidential Council for Interaction with Religious Associations held its sixth and this year the first meeting, at the Grand Hall of the Moscow Patriarchate’s department for external church relations (DECR). The meeting, chaired by head of the Commission Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, DECR chairman, was attended by Metropolitan Juvenaly of Krutitsy and Kolomna, Patriarchal Vicar of the Diocese of Moscow; Mr. A. Tretyakov, adviser of the Presidential Office for Domestic Policy and executive secretary of the Council (vice-chairman of the Commission); Archpriest Nikolay Balashov, DECR vice-chairman; Archbishop Dietrich Brauer, archbishop of the Evangelical-Lutheran Church in Russia; Albir Krganov, Mufti of the Moslem Assembly in Russia, Mr. M. Bryukhanov, deputy head of Rossotrudnichestvo, as well as other members of the Commission and invited officials. Metropolitan Hilarion made introductory remarks informing the meeting about the changes that took place in the Commission’s membership. The DECR chairman also congratulated Andrey V. Tretyakov on his appointment as vice-chairman of the Commission and wished him God’s help in his work. During the meeting, Metropolitan Hilarion made a report on the preparation of a World Conference on Interreligious and Inter-Cultural Dialogue timed to the 20th anniversary of the World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development established by the UN General Assembly. It is planned to hold it in May 2022 in Moscow. Discussing the convening of the Moscow international forum, Metropolitan Juvenaly of Krutitsy and Kolomna shared his own experience of preparation and conduct of similar events. The archpastor informed the meeting about the World Interreligious Conference for Lasting Peace and Disarmament, which took place under his leadership in 1977 in Moscow. Its results proved to be very important for further dialogue among various countries, religious and peoples. The participants pointed out to the need for thorough work to be carried out in preparation for the Moscow forum. In the course of the meeting, remarks were delivered by Archpriest Sergiy Zvonarev, DECR secretary for the affaires of the far-abroad diaspora and secretary of the Commission, who spoke about challenges to traditional morality and values brought in the Western world. Then A. Tretyakov, vice-chairman of the Commission spoke on the plans for the future work of the collegiate working body and the topics of the next meetings. Concluding the meeting, Metropolitan Hilarion wished those present blessed successes in their further work. DECR Communication Service /Patriarchia.ru Календарь ← 7 December 2023 year |
| Archive DECR vice-chairman meets with State Secretary of Hungarian Prime Minister Administration 17 December 2021 year 13:16 On December 16, 2021, DECR vice-chairman Archimandrite Philaret (Bulekov) met with the State Secretary for the Aid of Persecuted Christians of the Administration of the Prime Minister of Hungary, Mr. Tristan Azbey. Participating in the meeting were also Mr. Norbert Konkoly, Hungarian ambassador to Russia, Ms Cecilia Bardos, head of the State Secretariat for the Aid of Persecuted Christians, Ms Eva Holvai, member of the State Secretariat for the Aid of Persecuted Christians, and Mr. Zsolt Lenard, first secretary of the Hungarian embassy in Russia. From the DECR there were Archpriest Igor Yakimchuk, DECR secretary for inter-Orthodox relations, Rev. Andrey Titushkin, Secretariat for the Affairs of the Diaspora, Deacon Ilia Kashitsyn, Secretariat for Interreligious Relations, and Hierodeacon Petr (Akhmatkhanov), Secretariat for Inter-Christian relations. Father Philaret warmly welcomed Mr. Azbey to the oldest synodal department responsible for the Russian Church’s external relations. In his turn, the state secretary expressed gratitude on behalf of the Hungarian delegation for the opportunity to meet and discuss together the topical issues of cooperation. Archimandrite Philaret informed the delegation about the manifold work carried out by the Russian Orthodox Church to help persecuted Christians in the Middle East and North Africa, and the efforts made by the Russian leaders together with traditional religious communities in Russia to preserve the Christian heritage in regions, which but only recently were engulfed in war and discord. Mr. Azbey also shared information about the measures taken by the Hungarian Government to support Christian confessions in the Middle East countries and to defend the rights of Christians to peaceful life in the lands of their ancestors. The interlocutors agreed that it is necessary for them to try through common efforts to preserve the Christian presence in the Middle East and North Africa countries, taking trouble to help restore the relevant infrastructure and build churches, schools and hospitals. In end of the meeting, the sides discussed other matters of mutual concern. DECR Communication Service /Patriarchia.ru Календарь ← 7 December 2023 year |
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