DECR Representatives Present Papers on Church Diplomacy at All-Russian Conference, Hieromonk Mark Focuses on Malankara Orthodox Church Ties

DECR & OCP News Service – 18/05/2025

Moscow- Russia: Representatives of the Department for External Church Relations (DECR) of the Moscow Patriarchate actively participated in the 7th All-Russian Scientific Conference “History of the Church: Fact and Thought,” held at the Moscow Theological Academy on May 12–13, 2025. The polythematic conference brought together over 130 researchers from multiple countries and regions of Russia to share their scholarly findings across eleven sections of Church history.

The seventh section, dedicated to “History of Church Diplomacy,” saw significant contributions from DECR staff, moderated by R. O. Obrosov, a referent of the Secretariat for Inter-Christian Relations. Hierodeacon Alexy (Ochkanov) presented his research on the restoration of relations between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Anglican Church in the latter half of the 1940s, detailing mutual high-level visits and the re-establishment of the Mixed Theological Commission.

Archpriest Sergiy Zvonarev, secretary for foreign affairs of the DECR, delivered a report on the Christian Peace Conference and its place in the Moscow Patriarchate’s external relations during the 1960s and early 1970s. He highlighted the formation of this major inter-Christian platform within the socialist bloc and the crucial role of Metropolitan Nikodim (Rotov) in maintaining its unity.

R.O. Obrosov also presented his work on the initial contacts between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church in the early 1960s, utilizing archival data to examine the early steps towards dialogue between the two churches.

Hieromonk Mark (Akhmatkhanov), an employee of the Secretariat for Inter-Christian Relations of the DECR, presented a paper focusing on the development of relations between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Malankara Orthodox Church during the tenure of Metropolitan Nikodim (Rotov) as DECR chairman. Hieromonk Mark provided a concise overview of the Malankara Church and emphasized the impetus given to bilateral relations following the Russian Church’s participation in the III Assembly of the World Council of Churches in New Delhi. He particularly highlighted the significant role of Metropolitan Nikodim in fostering these ties.

Other presentations in the section included S.S. Zabelich’s analysis of the multifaceted role of Makarios III in defending Cypriot sovereignty. The active participation of DECR representatives in this prominent academic conference underscores the Moscow Patriarchate’s ongoing engagement with the history of church diplomacy and its contemporary relevance.

Source: DECR