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On 22 November 2016, at the Patriarchal residence in St Daniel’s
Monastery, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia met
with the President of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian
Unity, Kurt Cardinal Koch.
The Russian Orthodox Church was also represented by Metropolitan
Hilarion of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s
Department for External Church Relations; Archbishop Amvrosy of
Peterhof, rector of the St. Petersburg Theological Academy;
Archimandrite Philaret (Bulekov), DECR vice-chairman; and Rev. Alexy
Dikarev, a staff member of the DECR Secretariat for Inter-Christian
Relations.
Cardinal Koch was accompanied by Archbishop Celestino Migliore,
Apostolic Nuncio to the Russian Federation, and Rev. Hyacinthe
Destivelle, a staff member of the Pontifical Council for Promoting
Christian Unity.
His Holiness Patriarch Kirill greeted the high guests and thanked them for attending the celebrations marking his 70th
birthday. “I regard it as a good gesture of the Roman Catholic Church
and as yet another opportunity to exchange opinions on our current
agenda,” the Primate of the Russian Church said.
Patriarch Kirill mentioned his meeting with Pope Francis in Havana,
saying in particular, “I think, that meeting, held in the atmosphere of
sincerity and fraternity, was very meaningful. It is highly important
that our common concern over the sufferings of Christians in today’s
world, particularly in the Middle East and North Africa, was at the core
of our meeting.”
As His Holiness noted, the common concern and support to the
suffering Christians expressed during that meeting had found a positive
response in the world community. “It was after our meeting that the
problem of the genocide of Christians in the Middle East was raised at
high levels in various countries, and this issue became a major item on
the political agenda,” Patriarch Kirill said, “Soon after our meeting,
an agreement was reached in Munich, stipulating a ceasefire between the
government forces and the opposition in Syria. It also evoked a positive
response among those who have a sincere compassion for the suffering
and dying people in the Middle East.”
The Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church noted with regret the
aggravation of the situation in Syria and Iraq, caused “not only by the
hostilities in Aleppo and Mosul, but also by the ongoing sufferings of
people.” As His Holiness said, “The actions of the existing coalitions
still lack proper coordination, necessary for combating terrorism
successfully. I am convinced that only joint coordinated actions aimed
at achieving specific goals can really help defeat terrorism.”
“After that meeting in Havana, our joint Orthodox-Catholic groups
made the right steps both in Syria and Lebanon,” His Holiness continued,
“It was an important visit that helped representatives of our two
Churches form a clear view of the situation in Syria and Lebanon and lay
the foundation for our future collaborative work aimed, among other
things, at providing aid to people.” Patriarch Kirill noted that, as a
result of the joint visit of the Orthodox-Catholic delegation from
Russia on 7 April 2016, its members had begun to draw up a list of
churches and other religious buildings destroyed during the hostilities.
“We hope that the war will end and that people will live in peace
again,” His Holiness added, “An issue will be raised of restoring Syria.
For us, Christians, it will also be important that churches should be
restored and people could return to their normal religious life. We are
willing to continue our joint work with the Roman Catholic Church, with
its representatives, and to do all within our power to cease sufferings
and help people live in peace again.”
The Declaration singed in Havana also revealed the common approach to
the Ukrainian issue, the Primate of the Russian Church emphasized. “Not
long ago, on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of
independence of the Ukrainian state, the Pope of Rome and I sent our
respective messages,” His Holiness said and noted the closeness of the
two Churches’ positions on this issue. “Both the Russian Orthodox Church
and the Roman Catholic Church are committed to the peacebuilding
mission. The Churches must be peacemakers, not the players in a most
serious civil conflict,” Patriarch Kirill emphasized.
His Holiness Patriarch Kirill also noted the progress in cultural
cooperation between the Orthodox and the Roman Catholic Churches, saying
in particular, “The Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity
that you head held the 2nd meeting of the joint working group
for cultural cooperation between our Churches, and the both sides have
continued to carry out various cultural projects. We hope that on
December 11, a joint concert of the Sretensky Monastery Choir, the
Synodal Choir of the Russian Orthodox Church and the Choir of the
Sistine Chapel will take place at the Basilica of St Mary of the Angels
and the Martyrs. On November 25, a remarkable exhibition of the
Vatican’s masterpieces will open at the Tretyakov Gallery with the
participation of Mr. Giuseppe Bertello, Governor of Vatican City. It is a
significant cultural event and, at the same time, an important factor
for the development of our bilateral relations.”
Speaking on the inter-Christian contacts in the sphere of theological
education, the Primate of the Russian Church rated highly the work of
the Summer Institute for Representatives of the Roman Catholic Church,
organized by Ss Cyril and Methodius Theological Institute of
Postgraduate Studies. “It is my conviction that the development of our
good relations in various spheres will also help promote the
relationships between our peoples and overcome conflicts, as well as
coordinate our activities aimed at defending people, their right to life
and dignity,” His Holiness said in conclusion.
Cardinal Kurt Koch thanked the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church
for the warm welcome and read out a message of greetings from Pope
Francis on Patriarch Kirill’s 70th birthday. The letter
reads, in particular, “I wish to convey to Your Holiness, my beloved
brother in Christ, the assurance of my personal best wishes and fervent
prayers on the occasion of your seventieth birthday. I thank the Lord
for the abundant blessings that he has bestowed upon you in your life
and in your ministry as Pastor of the Russian Orthodox Church. I am
especially grateful for your personal contribution to the rapprochement
between our Churches and I recall with great emotion our historic
meeting in Havana.”
DECR Communication Service
Photo by the Patriarchal Press Service
