Archbishop Justin Welby and His Holiness Kirill at Lambeth Palace, 18 October 2016. (Lambeth Palace) , Archbishop of Canterbury
The
Archbishop of Canterbury today welcomed His Holiness Kirill, Patriarch
of Moscow and All Russia, and his delegation, to Lambeth Palace for a
private visit. Archbishop Justin was accompanied by a delegation that
included the Bishop of London.
Patriarch Kirill
arrived in the United Kingdom on Saturday at the invitation of the
Russian Ortodox Diocese of Sourozh in Great Britain, which is
celebrating 300 years of the presence of the Russian Orthodox Church in
this country.
Before arriving at Lambeth Palace
today, Patriarch Kirill had an audience with Her Majesty The Queen at
Buckingham Palace, at which the Archbishop and the Bishop of London were
present.
The visit represents the first time that
Archbishop Justin and Patriarch Kirill have met, but it is the second
time a Patriarch of Moscow and an Archbishop of Canterbury have met at
Lambeth Palace in recent times. The first meeting was that of Archbishop
Michael Ramsey with His Holiness Alexey I in 1964.
The
relationship between the two churches has endured for more than three
centuries, through some very difficult times as well periods when the
two countries have stood side by side. This relationship has been
cemented through many personal contacts and through the spiritual and
cultural interchange which has enriched both churches.
After
welcoming Patriarch Kirill and his delegation to Lambeth Palace,
Archbishop Justin had a personal conversation with Patriarch Kirill.
Uppermost in the conversation was their shared compassion for Christian,
and other, minorities in many parts of the world, especially in the
Middle East, where they have been systematically targeted and persecuted
and their communities decimated.
Conversation also
touched upon the concerns and challenges that their two churches face in
the present time in their different contexts; including the challenge
of proclaiming the Gospel of Christ in a secular culture; the witness of
the Church in serving the poor and marginalised in our societies and
addressing the needs of migrants and refugees.
They
also spoke of the importance of the Church as the keeper of tradition –
that is, the wisdom of the past, living in the present.
It
was acknowledged that tensions currently exist between the Governments
of their two countries. Archbishop Justin and Patriarch Kirill agreed
that the first loyalty of the Christian Church is to the Lord Jesus
Christ, and they affirmed that reconciliation was the key ministry of
the Church in situations of conflict.
In faith, hope
and love, founded on the Lord Jesus Christ, the Churches have been a
bridge of friendship between the two countries for more than three
centuries. The meeting today, and indeed the whole visit of Patriarch
Kirill, is a historic event in the development of that relationship,
which they pray will be nurtured and sustained through continued
spiritual, cultural and personal interchange between their churches.
The
two delegations met together over lunch for informal conversation. The
Patriarch presented to the Archbishop an icon of the protective veil of
the Blessed Mother of God. Patriarch Kirill was presented with a
specially bound album of the Treasures of Lambeth Palace Library.
The visit to Lambeth Palace was the final engagement of Patriarch Kirill’s visit to the UK.
On Sunday 16th
October, Patriarch Kirill reconsecrated the Russian Orthodox Cathedral
of the Dormition in Ennismore Gardens, which was attended by Archbishop
Justin and the Bishop of London.