Church-State Partnership Strengthened: Patriarch Kirill and Foreign Minister Lavrov Lead Joint Working Group Meeting

DECR – OCP News Service – 27/01/2024

Moscow – Russia: In a high-level meeting at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on January 26, 2024, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus’ and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov led an extended session of the Working Group on interaction between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Ministry.

The meeting, attended by prominent figures from both sides, focused on crucial areas of cooperation, including:

• Protecting Christians and supporting compatriots abroad: The Church and the Foreign Ministry discussed strategies to safeguard religious communities and offer assistance to Russians living overseas.
• Defending traditional values: Both sides emphasized the importance of upholding spiritual and moral principles in the international arena.

Following the productive discussions, an awards ceremony saw Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov present departmental awards to representatives of the Church, recognizing their active collaboration. Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk and Archpriest Nikolai Balashov received badges “For contribution to international cooperation” while Archimandrite Filaret, Archpriest Nikolai Lischenyuk, Archpriest Igor Yakimchuk, and Archpriest Sergiy Zvonarev were awarded “For Cooperation” badges.

In a reciprocal gesture, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill presented prestigious Orthodox Church awards to several diplomats:

• Secretary of State Evgeny Ivanov, Deputy Foreign Minister, received the Order of the Blessed Prince Alexander Nevsky, III degree, in recognition of his contributions to church-state relations and on his 50th birthday.
• Ambassador-at-Large Anatoly Kinshchak, Director of the Middle East and North Africa Department, was also bestowed the Order of the Blessed Prince Alexander Nevsky, III degree, for his dedication to church-state cooperation and on his 60th birthday.
• Mikhail Melech, Head of the Department for Relations with the Main Russian Religious Organizations, was awarded the same prestigious Order for his contribution to church-state relations and on his 45th birthday.

This high-profile meeting and exchange of awards underscores the strong partnership between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, showcasing their united efforts in safeguarding religious communities, supporting compatriots abroad, and upholding traditional values on a global stage.

Source:

OCP News Service