| Archive Primates of Russian and Albanian Churches celebrate Divine Liturgy at Resurrection Cathedral in Tirana 29 April 2018 year 16:50 April 29, 2018 – His Holiness Kirill, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, and His Beatitude Anastasios, Archbishop of Tirana and All Albania, celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the Cathedral of the Resurrection in Tirana. Among their concelebrants were members of the Holy Synod of the Albanian Orthodox Church – Metropolitans Ignatios of Berat, Joan of Corce, Demetrios of Gjirokaster, Nicolla of Apollonia, Anthony of Elbasan, and Nathanael of Amantia. Patriarch Kirill was also assisted by members of the Russian Orthodox Church delegation who accompanied His Holiness during his visit to the Albanian Church – Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate department for external church relations (DECR), Archbishop Sergiy of Solnechnogorsk, head of the Moscow Patriarchate administrative secretariat, Archpriest Nikolay Balashov, DECR vice-chairman, Archpriest Igor Yakimchuk, DECR secretary for inter-Orthodox relations, Rev. Anatoly Churyakov, DECR staff member, and Rev. Alexander Volkov, head of the Patriarchal press service. Present at the liturgy was Russian Ambassador to Albania Mr. A. Karpushin. Liturgical singing was performed by the Byzantine and European choirs of the Resurrection Cathedral and the Moscow Synodal Choir who came from Russia. The service was broadcast live by the Albanian State Television Company and the Russian TV channels ‘Spas’ and ‘Soyuz’. After the liturgy, Archbishop Anastasios addressed Patriarch Kirill with Paschal greetings. Patriarch Kirill spoke in response. Patriarch Kirill presented Archbishop Anastasios with two pectoral icons, a pectoral cross and an Easter egg painted by Russian icon-painters as a token of the common liturgy and a sign that the visit of the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church fell on the Easter period, which lasts 40 days. To the cathedral His Holiness gave an icon of the Twelve Apostles. Archbishop Anastasios presented Patriarch Kirill with an icon of the Ascension painted by an Albanian artist who used as his plot the mosaic of the Cathedral of the Resurrection, and with patriarchal insignia. The Cathedral of the Resurrection was built in the period from 2004 to 2012 in the center of Tirana, at a plot provided by the state as a compensation for the previous cathedral destroyed in 1967. It has been designed by Greeks from a New York architectural bureau with an active participation of Archbishop Anastasios. The cathedral was opened on June 24, 2012, in the presence of the president of the country and the speaker of the parliament. It was consecrated on June 1, 2014, by representatives of thirteen Local Churches. The Moscow Patriarchate was represented by Metropolitan Feodosiy (Rasskazovsky) of Tambov. DECR Communication Service /Patriarchia.ru Календарь ← 7 December 2023 year |
| Archive DECR chairman meets with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán 7 September 2019 year 10:14 On 6 th September 2019, a meeting between Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations, and Mr. Viktor Orbán, Prime Minister of Hungary, took place at the House of the Hungarian Government in Budapest. The DECR chairman arrived in Hungary with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia to take part in the Budapest Forum for Christian Communicators. Greeting Mr. Orbán, Metropolitan Hilarion noted that he had the warmest recollections of Hungary, for in 2003-2009 he headed the diocese of Hungary of the Russian Orthodox Church and in his capacity as chairman of the Department for External Church Relations he undertakes regular working visits to the country. The participants in the meeting discussed the role and importance of Christianity in today’s world. Among the issues raised at the meeting was the situation of Orthodox Christians in Ukraine, where numerous cases of discrimination against and violation of the rights of individual believers and whole communities occurred. As the DECR chairman noted, the drastic aggravation of the religious situation and the increasing number of inter-confessional conflicts in Ukraine this year can be explained, first of all, by the actions of the state authorities, which in December 2018 made an attempt to forcibly unify the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and two schismatic structures. As Metropolitan Hilarion pointed out, the Moscow Patriarchate maintains good and constructive relations with the Hungarian leadership that devotes favourable attention to the activities of the Russian Orthodox Church’s parishes located in the territory of Hungary. To conclude the meeting, Metropolitan Hilarion thanked the Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán for his willingness to further promote the relationships between Hungary and the Russian Orthodox Church. DECR Communication Service /Patriarchia.ru Календарь ← 7 April 2024 year |
| Archive Metropolitan Hilarion receives Chairman of Doha International Dialogue Center 29 March 2018 year 11:05 March 28, 2018 – Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, head of the Moscow Patriarchate department for external church relations (DECR), met with the head of the Doha International Dialogue Center (DICID) and Qatar’s deputy minister of education, Prof. Ibrahim Al Naimi, at the Ss Cyril and Methodius Institute of Post-Graduate Studies (CMI). Participating in the meeting from the Russian Orthodox Church were also Rev. Dimitry Safonov, DECR secretary for interreligious relations, and I. Kashitsyn, DECR secretariat for interreligious relations. From the Qatari side there were Dr. Mahmoud Al Hamzah, political analyst, Qatari embassy in Russia, and Mr. Mahmoud Afraj, Qatari ministry of foreign affairs. During their substantial talk, the sides discussed various aspects of dialogue of between religions. Prof. Al Naimi spoke about his center’s scientific and practical projects aimed to develop tolerance and mutual understanding between Christians and Muslims and the participation of Christian Churches in DICID’s work. Metropolitan Hilarion introduced his guest to the work of the Church’s post-graduate school and its educational and scientific programs in which, along with other subjects, various issues of interreligious interaction are studied. They also discussed the situation in the Middle East. The DECR chairman informed his guest about the work carried out by the Russian Orthodox Church to give support to Christian minorities in the region. He mentioned a number of humanitarian actions undertaken by the Moscow Patriarchate in Syria. In the conclusion of the meeting, the sides agreed to develop cooperation, which can be realized as part of a Cross Year of Russian and Qatari Cultures. They also underscored the importance of participation of the Moscow Patriarchate representatives in annual interreligious forums held by DICID in Doha. DECR Communication Service /Patriarchia.ru Календарь ← 7 December 2023 year |
| Archive Particle of hieroconfessor Famar’s relics is handed over to the Georgian Orthodox Church 10 December 2018 year 21:13 On 10 December 2018, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations (DECR), arrived in Georgia with a working visit with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia. St the request of His Holiness and Beatitude Catholicos-Patriarch Ilia II of All Georgia, Metropolitan Hilarion brought a particle of relics of the hieroconfessor Famar (Marjanova) as a gift to the Georgian Orthodox Church. She has been canonized recently by the Georgian and Orthodox Churches. The relics were met by His Holiness and Beatitude Ilia II, bishops, clerics and monastics of the Georgian Orthodox Church at the Patriarchal residence. A short prayer service was celebrated at the shrine with the relics. After the prayer service the DECR chairman met with His Holiness and Beatitude. They were joined in the meeting by six hierarchs of the Georgian Orthodox Church; rector of the Sioni Cathedral; archpriest Kakhaber of the Church of St. George in Moscow; archpriest Igor Yakilmchuk, DECR secretary for inter-Christian relations, archpriest Vladimir Aleksandrov of St. Alexander Nevsky church in Tbilisi, and Vyacheslav Lee, a Metropolitan Hilarion’s sub-deacon. His Holiness and Beatitude Catholic-Patriarch Ilia II conveyed his deep gratitude to His Holiness Patriarch Kirill for the precious gift – relics of hieroconfessor Famar whose life had been closely connected with the Georgian and Russian Orthodox Churches. Both Primates expressed confidence in the great importance of St. Famar’s prayers for the strengthening of fraternal ties between the Russian and Georgian people. Metropolitan Hilarion cordially greeted Patriarch Ilia on behalf of Patriarch Kirill, who sent a particle of relics of St. Famar to the Georgian Orthodox Church at the request of its Primate. She was canonized by the Georgian Orthodox Church in 2016, and the Russian Orthodox Church also canonized her as a confessor of the 20th century who went along her way of the Cross. “Today we glorify hieroconfessor Famar as a heavenly protectress of our two Churches and our people. I do hope that the saint’s prayers will be with us in our common work for the good of Holy Orthodoxy and united our nations by spiritual bond that abides in our hearts, crosses all earthly boundaries and will remain on earth and in the Heavenly Kingdom,” Metropolitan Hilarion said. Discussed at the meeting were topical problems of the inter-Orthodox relations. That same day the DECR chairman returned to Moscow. DECR Communication Service /Patriarchia.ru Календарь ← 7 December 2023 year |
| Archive DECR representative attends an event timed to International Holocaust Remembrance Day 28 January 2020 year 13:35 27 January 2020, a memorial ceremony took place at the Jewish Museum and Tolerance Center in Moscow dated for the International Holocaust Remembrance Day. The event was attended by representatives of religious communities, state bodies and public organizations. The gathering was addressed by Russia’s Chief Rabbi Berel Lazar; President of the Federation of Jewish Communities in Russia A. Boroda; US Ambassador to Russia John Sullivan; Germany’s Ambassador to Russia Géza Andreas von Geyr; Israel’s Charge d’Affairees Yacov Livne; and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Jewish Museum and Tolerance Center Viktor Vekselberg. Present at the ceremony were Metropolitan Juvenaly of Krutitsy and Kolomna; Chairman of the Central Muslim Board in Russia Mufti Talgat Tajuddin; Russia’a Chief Rabbi Adolf Shayevich (KEROOR); head of the Moscow city department for inter-religious relation V. Suchkov; deputy head of the Moscow city department for interreligious relations A. Ignatenko, and others. From the Department for External Church Relations (DECR), there was DECR secretary for interreligious relation and executive secretary of the Interreligious Council in Russia Rev. Dimitry Safonov. To mark the commemorative date, the Jewish Museum and Tolerance Center opened an exhibition “(Not) the Time for Love. Stories of Sweethearts Who Survived the Holocaust”. The project is based on diaries, remembrances and biographic novels published in the last two decades by former prisoners of concentration camps, Jewish partisans and underground fighters, their children, grandchildren and invited biographers. There was also a presentation of a book on the museums and memorials devoted to the memory of the Holocaust published by 27 January 2020 marking the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz. DECR Communication Service /Patriarchia.ru Календарь ← 7 December 2023 year |
| Archive Interreligious Working Group for Humanitarian Aid to Syrian population holds its 8th meeting 27 June 2019 year 18:22 On June 27, 2019, with a blessing of Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, head of the Moscow Patriarchate department for external church relations (DECR), the Interreligious Working Group for Humanitarian Aid to the Syrian Population under the Presidential Council for Cooperation with Religious Associations held its 8 th meeting at the DECR grand hall. The meeting was attended by Hieromonk Stephan (Igumnov), DECR secretary for inter-Christian relations – the leader of the group; S. Melnikov, executive secretary of the Presidential Council for Cooperation with Religious Associations; Hegumen Arseny (Sokolov), representative of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia to the Patriarch of Antioch and All the East; Ildar-hazrat Ziganshin, member of the Central Muslim Board Presidium and imam-mutahsib of the Tyumen Region; Mufti Albir Krganov, chairman of the Moslem Assembly in Russia; Salih-Hazrat Ibragimov, Imam-mutahsib of the Nizhnekamsky region, Tatarstan; Rev. Igor Kowalewski, general secretary, Conference of the Catholic Bishops in Russia; K. V. Bendas, first deputy of the Presiding Bishop and chancellor of the Russian Union of Christians of the Evangelical Faith; O. Yu. Goncharov, first deputy head of the Euro-Asian Division of the General Conference of the Church of the Seventh-Day Adventists; Hieromonk Ermogen (Korchukov), executive secretary of the Interreligious Foundation for Promoting Joint Humanitarian Projects; Imam M. Nirsayanov, head of the international department of the Moslem Assembly in Russia; Ms. A. Ugleva, expert in external and international communications, Russian Union of the Christians of Evangelical faith (Pentecostals); Ms. M. Nelyubova and F. Champion, DECR. The meeting summed up the work the Working Group carried out in the first half of 2019. Special note was made of the trip made by the Interreligious Working Group delegation to Damascus on March 30-31, 2019. They handed over to Syrians in need another consignment of humanitarian aid consisting of one thousand boxes with high-quality basic foodstuff. The meeting also discussed the implementation of a project for the restoration of a school in Damascus, noting that the restoration work was carried out according to the previously approved plan. The Working Group heard a report on the work carried out by the Interreligious Foundation for Promoting Joint Humanitarian Projects in the first half of the year 2019 and approved a further work plan for 2019. It was agreed that the religious communities in Russia should continue raising funds for purchasing humanitarian aid and its joint delivery to Syria. DECR Communication Service /Patriarchia.ru Календарь ← 7 December 2023 year |
| Archive Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk takes part in a meeting with head of the Muslim Board of Tatarstan 25 November 2022 year 11:31 On November 24, Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate, met with Metropolitan Kirill of Kazan and Tatarstan and the head of the Muslim Board of the Republic of Tatarstan Kamil-khazrat Samigullin, at the Muslim Board of the Republic of Tatarstan (MBT) building in the city of Kazan. Among the participants of the meeting were also Archimandrite Philaret (Bulekov), DECR vice-chairman; Rev. Alexander Ershov, assistant to the DECR chairman; and Hieromonk Kirill (Korytko), secretary of the Metropolis of Tatarstan. The meeting took place following a session on ‘Religious cooperation between countries as one of the foundations of peace and development’ of Valdai Club’s conference on Religious Polyphony and National Unity, at which Metropolitan Anthony was a speaker. Kamil-khazrat related to the guests the history of the buildings belonging to the Muslim Board of Tatarstan and spoke about the educational and informational work of representatives of the Muslim community of the region. The mufti noted that the MBT and the Diocese of Kazan maintain fruitful cooperation in social service and pointed to the positive experience of joint actions with representatives of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate. He also said that the DECR secretary for interreligious relations and executive secretary of the Interreligious Council in Russia, Rev. Dimitry Safonov, rendered assistance to MBT representatives in solving various problems. The meeting discussed the further development of cooperation. In conclusion of the meeting, the DECR chairman and the head of the Metropolis of Tatarstan were shown the book fare arranged in the MBT building, the press service of the Diocese of Kazan reports. DECR Communication Service /Patriarchia.ru Календарь ← 7 December 2023 year |
| Archive DECR representative takes part in interreligious forum at the Pubic Chamber of the Russian Federation 23 December 2022 year 15:38 On December 22, 2022, a research and practice conference on “Islam – an integral part of religious heritage of Russia: 1100th anniversary of Volga Bulgaria’s conversion to Islam” took place at the Public Chamber of the Russian Federation. The conference was organized by the Commission of the RF Public Chamber for Harmonization of Interethnic and Interreligious Relations and the Spiritual Assembly of Muslims of Russia. Mufti Albir Hazrat Krganov, head of the Assembly and vice-chairman of the Commission acted as moderator. Taking part in the conference were representatives of the state, public, charitable and nonprofit organizations, academic and educational community, experts, and religious and public figures. Welcoming remarks were delivered by Mr. Konstantin Blazhenov, deputy chairman of the Department for national politics and interregional relations of Moscow and head of the administration for relations with religious organizations, and by Mr. Danis Shakirov, chairman of the Executive Committee of the World Congress of Tatars. With the blessing of Metropolitan Antony of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations, taking part in the conference was Rev. Dimitry Safonov, DECR secretary for interreligious relations. In his presentation he told the audience about the experience of cooperation with Islamic communities and organizations, for instance, with the Spiritual Assembly of Muslims of Russia, in the work with migrants and collecting and delivering humanitarian aid to the Syria and Donbass residents, and also about activities of the Interreligious Working Group for Protecting Believers’ Rights against Discrimination and Xenophobia. Rev Dimitry mentioned the conference organized with Mufti Krganov’s participation on the role of Orthodoxy and Islam in harmonization of life in modern society held in Tashkent on June 3, 2022. The DECR secretary also spoke about the history of interreligious peace dialogue started in the USSR in the postwar years, focusing on the role played by the Moscow Patriarchate and the chairmen of the Spiritual Administrations of Muslims. DECR Communication Service /Patriarchia.ru Календарь ← 7 December 2023 year |
| Archive DECR chairman meets with Executive Director of UN World Food Programme 20 February 2018 year 19:42 On 20 February 2018, at the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, DECR chairman, met with Mr. David Beasley, Executive Director of the UN World Food Programme. Mr. Beasley was accompanied by Mr. Daniel Rugholm, his special advisor; Mr. Christopher Kaye, Director of the UN World Food Programme’s Donor Relations Division; and Mr. Andrey Shirkov of the UN World Food Programme’s Donor Relations Division. Representing the DECR were also Archpriest Sergy Zvonarev, secretary for far aboard countries; Hieromonk Stefan (Igumnov), secretary for inter-Christian relations; Deacon Andrei Titushkin of the Secretariat for Far Abroad Countries; and Mrs. Margarita Nelyubova of the Secretariat for Inter-Christian Relations. Taking part in the meeting were also Ms. Marina Velikanova, First Secretary of the Department of International Organizations of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs; and Mr. Dmitry Kulikov, Third Secretary of the Department of International Organizations of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The major topic of the meeting was rendering humanitarian aid to the population of the countries with low-income level, suffering from the chronic food shortage. The UN representative told about the activities of the World Food Programme in various parts of the world, as well as about the efforts aimed at raising awareness of the world community about the problems of starving people. Metropolitan Hilarion informed Mr. Beasley about charity projects of the Russian Orthodox Church, as well as about the work of the Interreligious Working Group for Humanitarian Aid to the People of Syria of the Commission for International Cooperation of the Presidential Council for Cooperation with Religious Organizations. The participants in the meeting concurred that it was necessary to develop cooperation between religious communities of Russia and the USA in implementing joint humanitarian projects. DECR Communication Service /Patriarchia.ru Календарь ← 7 December 2023 year |
| Version: Russian Materials on the theme Church for Russian Orthodox community consecrated in Lebanon Metropolitan Hilarion of Budapest and Hungary: Vatican concedes to liberals on the issue of same-sex couples [Interview] Thanksgiving celebrated at St. Nicholas Cathedral in Tehran DECR chairman concelebrates Liturgy with Patriarch of Antioch at Russian Church’s Metochion in Damascus Christian leaders in Jerusalem called for an immediate and sustainable ceasefire in the Gaza Strip DECR Chairman met with a representative of the Church of England Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk met with representatives of the Coptic Church Delegation of Malankara Church arrives in Russia All materials with key words parishes abroad – inter-Christian relations Other news DECR representative took part in an interreligious meeting on the topic of the family Metropolitan Anthony holds talks with Primate of Malankara Church Metropolitan Anthony participates in events in India to mark the 1950th anniversary of the martyr’s death of the holy apostle Thomas Meeting takes place between chairman of the DECR and representatives of the Church of India responsible for relations with the Russian Orthodox Church Metropolitan of Volokolamsk meets with newly-elected primate of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church Chairman of the DECR meets with Indian nuns Календарь ← → Богослужебные указания Video 7 December 2023 year His Holiness Patriarch Kirill presides over jubilee meeting of Inter-Religious Council of Russia Other video Top news Paschal Message of Patriarch KIRILL of Moscow and All Russia Patriarch : Messages Patriarchal message to the archpastors, clergymen, monastics and laypeople of the dioceses in the territory of Russia Patriarch : Messages His Holiness Patriarch Kirill approves texts of prayerful supplications in view of the spreading coronavirus infection Instructions to rectors of parishes and monasteries’ town churches, abbots and abbesses of the monasteries of the Russian Orthodox Church over the threat of spreading coronavirus infection Documents Dialogue and unity Documents Statement of the Synod of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of December 6, 2019 Documents Statement of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church Documents On the situation of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church Documents Statement by the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church concerning the encroachment of the Patriarchate of Constantinople on the canonical territory of the Russian Church Documents On the situation of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church Documents Statement by the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church concerning the encroachment of the Patriarchate of Constantinople on the canonical territory of the Russian Church Documents Interview © Patriarchia.ru , 2005 – 2024 |
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