| Archive Patriarch Kirill meets with Chairman of Cuban State Council and Council of Ministers 3 November 2018 year 19:28 On November 3, 2018, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, met with the head of the Republic of Cuba, Chairman of the State Council and Council of Ministers Miguel Mario Diaz-Canel Bermudez. Mr. Diaz-Canel was accompanied by his spouse Lis Cuesta Peraza; Mr. Ricardo Cabrisas Ruiz, vice-chairman of the Council of Ministers, and other representatives of the Cuban authorities – Minister of Communications Jorge Luis Perdomo Di-Lella; Minister of Energy and Metal Mining Industry Raul Garcia Barreiro; Minister of Industry Alfredo Lopez Valdes; First Deputy Minister of Transportation Eduardo Rodriguez Davila; as well as Luis Alberto Rodriguez Lopez-Calleja, an adviser to the Chairman of the State Council and Council of Ministers; Mr. Rogelio Sierra Diaz, deputy minister of the foreign affairs; and Mr. Gerardo Penalver Portal, Cuban ambassador to Russia. Participating in the meeting were also Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, head of the Moscow Patriarchate department for external church relations, Archpriest Igor Yakimchuk, DECR secretary for inter-Orthodox relations, and Deacon Andrey Titushkin, DECR secretariat for the far abroad. Present at the meeting was also A. Guskov, Russian ambassador to Cuba. Addressing the high guest with words of cordial greeting, His Holiness said, ‘I know that it is your first visit outside Latin America, and we appreciate very much that you have made it to Russia’. Stating that the relations between the two countries, which are over 200 year old, had acquired a special nature after the victory of the revolution in Cuba, His Holiness stressed, ‘This warmth in the relations and special sympathy for each other have a continuation today too, when the political situation has changed so much, when the theme of the Cuban revolution no longer defines one hundred percent the sympathy toward Cuba. In our country, there are people who have different political views but the sympathy for Cuba remains the same’. |
| His Holiness Patriarch Kirill meets with Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó Source: DECR On July 4, 2017, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Hungary, Mr. Péter Szijjártó. Attending the meeting, which took place at the Patriarchal and Synodal resident in St. Daniel monastery were Bishop Tikhon of Podolsk, administrator of the diocese of Budapest and Hungary; Bishop Antony of Bogorodsk, head of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Administration for Institutions Abroad; Archimandrite Philaret (Bulekov)(, vice-chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations (DECR). Photo: http://mospat.ru Among those accompanying Minister Péter Szijjártó were H.E. Janos Balla, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Hungary to Russia; Mr. Zsolt Csutora, Deputy State Secretary for Easterly Opening; Mr. Gyula Budai, Ministry Commissioner at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade of measures related to the Russian embargo. His Holiness Patriarch Kirill, who visited Hungary many times as the DECR chairman greeted the guests and recalled his trip there in 2011 when the country celebrated the m millennium of Christiany. He noted the recent active development of relations between Russia and Hungary, including contacts among common people. For instance, even more Russian people are visiting Hungary to see its wonderful architecture and landscapes, to have rest and medical treatment. Good attitude of the Hungarians to Russian tourists is especially important. His Holiness continued to say: “The Russian-speaking diaspora in Hungary is an important factor that affects development of relations between our countries. People, whom we call compatriots, are Russians, Ukrainians and representatives of many other nationalities. Most of them are members of the Russian Orthodox Church. They can realize their religious rights and meet their religious needs as there are twelve parishes in the Moscow Patriarchate’s diocese of Budapest and Hungary. I would like to thank the Government of Hungary represented by you for benevolent atmosphere for the work of our church institutions in your country.” |
| Exhibition ‘Moscow – the Holy Land of Prince Sergey Alexandrovich and Princess Elizabeth Feodorovna’ was opened in Moscow Source: DECR On November 2, 2015, a large-scale exhibition ‘Moscow – the Holy Land of Prince Sergey Alexandrovich and Princess Elizabeth Feodorovna’ was opened at the State Museum of History. It is timed to the end of the year marking the 150th birthday of Princess Elizabeth Feodorovna and the 110th anniversary of the tragic death of Prince Sergey Alexandrovich. The exhibition is organized by the Elizabeth-Sergey Educational Society foundation, Russian Ministry of Culture, State Museum of History and ROSIZO state museum-exhibition center in cooperation with the Russian Orthodox Church and Patriarchate of Jerusalem with the support of the Russian Ministry of Culture and the Moscow city department of national policy, interregional relations and tourism. Taking part in the ceremony were Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s department for external church relations (DECR), Archpriest Nikolay Balashov, a DECR vice-chairman, and Mr. V. Legoida, head of the synodal information department. Among the attendees were also Moscow Mayor S. Sobyanin, Russian Minister of Culture V. Medinsky, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs M. Bogdanov, Deputy Minister of Culture Ms. A. Manilova, Deputy Mayor of Moscow A. Gorbenko and other city officials. There were also S. Stepashin, president of the Imperial Orthodox Palestine Society (IOPS), and Ms A. Gromova, chair of the supervisory board of the Elizabeth-Sergey Educational Society, a foundation for promoting the revival of the traditions of mercy and charity. Present at the opening were also representatives of state museums, archives and church museums as well as private collectors in Russia. In his address, Mr. Medinsky reminded the audience that Sergey Alexandrovich, an uncle of the last Russian Emperor Nicholas II, was one of the founders of the Museum of History and presided over its patron board for many years. ‘We remember the wife of the prince, Elizabeth Feodorovna, as an outstanding benefactor, leader of many charitable initiatives, founder of the Ss Martha and Mary Convent, who fully dedicated herself to the tasks of charity. For this, already in her lifetime, she was nicknamed the White Angel of Moscow’, the minister said. |
| Center for Pediatric Prosthetics and Rehabilitation is opened at the ROC Representation in Damascus Source: DECR Photo: mospat.ru On March 6, 2022, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations (DECR), took part in the opening ceremony of the Center for Pediatric Prosthetics and Rehabilitation at the Representation of the Russian Orthodox Church in Damascus, Syria. The Centre has been created with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia and with the support of His Beatitude Patriarch John X of Antioch and All the East, the Council for Cooperation with Religious Associations under the President of the Russian Federation; the Foundation for the Support of Christian Culture and Heritage; and ‘Poznanie” and Kirche in Not Charity Foundations. Attending the ceremony were Dr. Muhammad Abdul Sattar Assayed, Minister of Endowments of the Syrian Arab Republic; Mr. Hussein Makhlouf, Minister of the Local Administration and Environment; H.E. Alexander V. Yefimov, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to the Syrian Arab Republic: Marie Al-Bitar, deputy of the People’s Council of the Syrian Arab Republic and head of the Parliamentary Committee for relations with the Orthodox Church; Colonel General Michel Farah, head of the medical services directorate of the Ministry of Inferior; Mr. Adel al-Olabi, Governor of Damascus; Bishop Moussa of Daraya, senior auxiliary bishop of the Patriarch of Antioch; Archpriest Nikolay Balashov, DECR vice-chairman; Hegumen Arseny (Sokolov), representative of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia to the Patriarch of Antioch; Rev. Alexander Karzan, secretary to the DECR chairman; Mr. Nikolay V. Sukhov, director of the Russian Centre for Science and Culture in Damascus; Mr. Rimal al-Saleh, head of Aluafa Charity Foundation; Dr. Jihad Muhammad Haddad, head physician of the Center for Pediatric Prosthetics and Rehabilitation at the Representation of the Russian Orthodox Church in Damascus; Mr. Hassan Raya, director of the Centre; Mr. Ivan A. Parfenov, deputy general director of “Poznanie” Charity Foundation; and Vycheslav Yu. Li, assistant to the DECR chairman. |
| Arhiva Preafericitul Patriarh Kiril a prezidat edina extins a Consiliului Patriarhal pentru Cultur 22 februarie 2012 17:20 La 22 februarie anul 2012, în sala sfântul Serghie a catedralei Hristos Mântuitorul din Moscova a avut loc edina extins a Consiliului Patriarhal pentru Cultur sub preedinia Preafericitului Patriarh al Moscovei i al întregii Rusii Kiril. Întâistttorul Bisericii Ortodoxe Ruse a adresat celor prezeni un mesaj de salut. Secretarul responsabil al Consiliului Patriarhal pentru Cultur arhimandritul Tihon (evkunov) a prezentat un rezumat al activitii Consiliului în anul trecut. “Unul din obiectivele principale ale Consiliului Patriarhal inea de ameliorarea relaiilor cu comunitatea muzeal, cu Ministerul Culturii”, - a aminitit printele Tihon. Secretarul Consiliului Patriarhal a exprimat sperana, c, în linii mari, obiectivul stabilit de ctre Preafericirea Sa a fost realizat. Rezultatul numeroaselor întâlniri i discuii controversate este acordul dintre Biserica Ortodox Rus i Ministerul Culturii din Federaia Rus, care ar putea fi semnat în luna urmtoare. Potrivit printelui Tihon, seria de proiecte realizate în comun de ctre Biseric i Ministerul Culturii include i cursurile de perfecionare pentru clerici i mireni în domeniul conservrii monumentelor de arhitectur i art, unde urmeaz a fi implicai zeci de reprezentani ai Bisericii Ortodoxe Ruse responsabili de activitatea muzeal. O alt direcie de lucru a Consiliului este conlucrarea în sfera educaional cu Serviciul Federal pentru Penitenciare. A fost programat sarcina de a furniza servicii de televiziune prin cablu la toate locurile de detenie, pentru a putea pune la dispoziia deinuilor materiale didactice i educative, precum i capodopere ale cinematograficei clasice. „Colaborarea cu Serviciul Federal pentru Peniteciare este destul de intensiv, dei avem anumite probleme de organizare. Deja în 60 % din instituiile penitenciare au fost trase cabluri de televiziune, problema principal fiind, la moment, alegerea coninutului”, a precizat printele Tihon. |
| Patriarch Kirill meets with heads of Diplomatic Missions of Latin American countries in Russia Source: DECR June 8, 2017 – His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia met with heads of diplomatic missions of Latin American countries in Russia, at the patriarchal and synodal resident in the St. Daniel Monastery in Moscow. Photo: http://www.patriarchia.ru The meeting was attended by sixteen high-ranking diplomats representing Cuba, Paraguay, Nicaragua, Ecuador, Panama, Uruguay, Colombia, Guatemala, Brazil, Peru, Chile, Venezuela, Argentina, El Salvador, Mexico, and Costa Rico. The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs was represented by the director of the Latin American department A. Schetinin. From the Moscow Patriarchate department for external church relations (DECR), there were Archpriest Sergiy Zvonarev, DECR secretary for the far abroad, and M. Palacio, officer of the secretariat. Patriarch Kirill reminded the gathering that his first meeting with Latin American diplomats took place in September 2009, soon after the beginning of his patriarchal ministry. ‘I am delighted to have such an opportunity again. I would like to thank the Cuban ambassador Mr. Emilio Lozada for the initiative to arrange this meeting’. Quite recently, on May 21, 2017, it was 230 years since the Latin America outstanding political and military leader Francisco de Miranda met with Metropolitan Platon (Levshin) of Moscow, who played a considerable role in organizing church life and especially theological education in the Russian Church. ‘It is known that Metropolitan Platon advised that Mr. Miranda visit the St. Sergius Monastery of the Trinity in order to come to feel the spirit of Russian Orthodoxy and to understand the soul of the Russian people’, His Holiness noted, ‘Mr Miranda did so; he left a note in this diary. I was told that on May 21 some of you took the same route, repeating the journey of your Latin American hero Francisco de Miranda’. His Holiness reminded the diplomats that the history of Russian Orthodoxy in Latin America began in 1901, when the first Orthodox church was built in Buenos Aires. According to His Holiness, today there are Orthodox Russian churches in most of the Latin American countries. Their primary mission is the spiritual and pastoral care of compatriots and, generally, Orthodox Slavs who reside in these countries. |
| Statement of His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios of America at the international conference titled Religious and Cultural Pluralism and Peaceful Coexistence in the Middle East, organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Greece, October 18-20, 2015, in Athens. Photo: http://greece.greekreporter.com/ Your All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, Your Beatitude Patriarch of Alexandria Theodoros II, Your Beatitude Patriarch of Antioch Ioannis X, Your Beatitude Patriarch of Jerusalem Theofilos III, Your Beatitude Archbishop Chrysostomos II of Cyprus, Your Beatitude Archbishop Ieronimos of Athens and All Greece, Your Beatitude Archbishop Anastasios of Albania, Your Eminences, Your Excellency Mr. Prokopios Pavlopoulos, President of the Republic of Greece, Your Excellency Mr. Alexis Tsipras, Prime Minister of Greece, Your Excellency Mr. Nikolaos Kotzias, Foreign Minister of Greece, Esteemed Representatives of Religious and Diplomatic Leaders, Dear friends and guests: When invited to gather with brothers and sisters, friends and colleagues from around the world to celebrate a joyous occasion, I am certain that all of us would very much welcome such an opportunity. Our present meeting, however, is brought about by an ongoing crisis in the Middle East and a sense of urgency to respond to the huge humanitarian crisis. The Middle East, a distinguished georgraphical area of religious and cultural pluralism for at least 4000 years has unfortunately experienced unprecedented levels of violence for a number of decades. This fertile land, which has served as the cradle of so many civilizations, is being poisoned by fear, hatred, and violence. The tragic result of such conditions has been the mass extinction of local communities that have peacefully coexisted with their neighbors for centuries. Whereas in the past it was not uncommon to find villages, town and cities comprised of people of various religious beliefs and cultural traditions, today people are being taught to view their neighbor with suspicion. Those who refuse to change their way of life are persecuted, executed, or forcefully evicted from their homeland. |
| His Holiness Patriarch Kirill’s Address at the 10th Anniversary of his Enthronement Source: DECR Photo: patriarchia.ru On 31 January 2019, at the State Kremlin Palace, the Solemn Act took place, marking the 10 th anniversary of the 2009 Local Council of the Russian Orthodox Church and the Patriarchal Enthronement. The text of the address delivered by His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia is given below. Esteemed Vladimir Vladimirovich, President of the Russian Federation, Esteemed Igor Nikolayevich, President of the Republic of Moldova, Your Holinesses and Your Beatitudes, Your Eminences and Your Graces, All-Honourable Fathers, Dear Brothers and Sisters, While crossing a symbolic border of the tenth anniversary of the 2009 Local Council, we have looked back at the path we trod and at the results of the decade presented to us in the video presentation. I would like to begin my address with the word of gratitude – gratitude to God glorified in the Trinity for what happened in the life of our Church over these years. With particular appreciation I note changes in the organization of parochial activities and the formation of new types of church ministry involving both clergy and laity, namely, the missionary, educational, social and youth work. Not only the capital and big cities see these changes, but also the outlying regions, where thanks to the establishment of 150 new dioceses (altogether there are 309 dioceses nowadays), the parochial life intensified and energetic clergy and young active parishioners appeared. It is of particular importance that 9,386 new parishes were opened, and the total number of parishes has grown to 38,649. I thank all people who helped build up the church life during these years. The Russian Orthodox Church carries out its ministry in many countries, having established good relationships with governmental authorities in most of them. I would like to especially thank the leaders of these countries – both who are present here today and who could not take part in the meeting – for constructive cooperation and joint work, as well as for understanding the Church’s role in the state and in society. |
| August 31, 2018 – During a meeting with journalists, which took place at the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate, the DECR chairman Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk told them about the meeting of the primates of the Church of Constantinople and the Russian Orthodox Church. The meeting has taken place today at the building of the Patriarchate of Constantinople in the Phanar quarter in Istanbul. As Metropolitan Hilarion reported, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, having come to Phanar, venerated the shrines in the Patriarchal Cathedral dedicated to the Holy Protomartyr George, including the relics of Ss Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian and John Chrysostom. At the Patriarchate, the primate of the Russian Church was welcomed by His Holiness Patriarch Bartholomew. The first part of the meeting took place in the official format. Present at it were all the members of the Patriarchate of Constantinople. His Holiness Patriarchate Bartholomew greeted the guest after which His Holiness Patriarch Kirill delivered brief remarks in response. Then the two primates withdrew to Patriarch Bartholomew’s office where a confidential private talk took place. Present at this talk, from the Patriarchate of Constantinople, was Metropolitan Emmanuel of France and from the Moscow Patriarchate, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk. ‘The talk lasted in total about two and a half hours. It was very frank, very cordial; it really was a talk from heart to heart’, the DECR chairman stressed. His Eminence reminded the journalists that Patriarch Bartholomew and Patriarch Kirill met in 1977 and they have a very long and rich history of personal relationships; as far back as before their election to the Patriarchal ministry, they worked much together for achieving a consensus on very diverse topics on the pan-Orthodox agenda. ‘This meeting was important first of all for the strengthening of personal relationships between the two patriarchs and, of course, for strengthening bilateral relations between our two Churches’ the archpastor said, ‘the interlocutors touched upon a wide range of issues including those on the agenda of the bilateral relations, as well as problems of pan-Orthodox unity. The talk, which began in a very sincere atmosphere, ended on a very friendly note, and the patriarchs exchanged gifts’. Metropolitan Hilarion expressed hope that the meeting would become another important event in the already ages-long history of bilateral relations between the two Churches. |
| On January 22, 2016, the Primates of Local Orthodox Churches met at the Patriarchate of Constantinople’s Orthodox center in Chambesy. Addressing the Synaxis, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia noted that each meeting of the Primates of Orthodox Churches is an event of special importance. ‘It is an opportunity for us to exchange opinions, to discuss problems of concern for us and to make agreed decisions on matters of pan-Orthodox significance. But above all, it is an opportunity to feel again our unity, especially when we together partake of one Cup in the awareness that we all are one Body in Christ (Rom. 12:5)’, His Holiness said. He also expressed gratitude to His Holiness Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople who initiated and organized the meeting. In his address, Patriarch Kirill spoke on various aspects of the preparation of the Pan-Orthodox Council. ‘Gathering together, we are clearly aware that our Church is One and Catholic, that our priority concern is to preserve and consolidate her unity, which is the basis of our entire ministry, including our joint efforts for strengthening the conciliar principle in the Church. The Holy and Great Council is called to become a visible, clear and convincing testimony to the unity of the Orthodox Church. And we all realize that the Council can become such only if it reflects the true unanimity of the Local Orthodox Churches. It is for the sake of this unanimity that we all are to work hard together in the pre-council period’, His Holiness stressed. In this context, Patriarch Kirill stated with satisfaction that ‘the concern for the absence of pan-Orthodox recognition of His Beatitude Metropolitan Rostislav, Primate of the Orthodox Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia, which has been repeatedly voiced both by the Moscow Patriarchate and other Churches, has been heard. His Beatitude is with us today, duly recognized now by all the Local Churches.’ Speaking about problems impeding the full-fledged unanimity among the Local Orthodox Churches, Patriarch Kirill expressed regret over the breach in communion between the Patriarchate of Antioch and Jerusalem. To restore it, His Holiness believes, is an urgent task in our days when the whole world is following with anxiety the developments in the Middle East since, indeed, ‘it is from religious communities in this region that people expect an example of solidarity and readiness to overcome differences’. |
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