Delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church in Poland

27.02.2010

Representatives of the Russian Orthodox Church, who came to Warsaw also at the invitation of Polish Orthodox Church and the Polish Episcopacy Conference (PEC) met with the officers and the managers of the Polish Ecumenical Council, whose president is Bishop of the Wrocław-Szczecin Diocese, Archbishop Jeremiasz.

The meeting is a continuation of previous visits of Russian Orthodox Church in our country, which can be considered as a result of efficient external policies of the Moscow Patriarchate’s towards the local Orthodox Churches and the effect of warming relations with the Roman Catholic Church in Poland.

The talks were focused on the anniversary ceremonies in Katyn this April, and thus the assessment of communism and the history of the Russian nation. Delegates from Russia stressed that the system has been imposed on Russia by force, and liberation from communism was long-awaited and joyful event for the Russian Orthodox Church. The liberation meant the end of the persecution ongoing of tens of years.
Both sides evaluated the possibility of a common commemoration of Stalinist terror victims. They underlined the fact that the victims were Christians of various confessions – Orthodox, Catholics, Protestants, believers and nonbelievers, irrespective of their nationality. Tribute to the victims now also requires common efforts to preserve Christian values in Europe.

Members of the delegation from Russia, and the board of the Polish Ecumenical Council decided to start works on a document that would express the will of the Churches to participate in the reconciliation process of the Russian and Polish nation and point the way to work together now and in the future.

Polish media for several days informed about the visit of the Metropolitan Hilarion, who, as a high-ranking representative of the Russian Orthodox Church was to come to Poland today. This has not happened – as reported by press release PEC – due to objective reasons. Due to communication problems hierarch could not get to the airport, and therefore cancelled his visit in Warsaw today and tomorrow in Paris. Roman Catholic clergy had big expectations with the arrival of such an important guest, who would automatically raise the importance of the meeting. Meeting of Meteropolitan Hilarion with the KEP was postponed to an unknown date.

Among the delegation was the Deputy of the Moscow Patriarchate Meteropolitan Hilarion abbot Philip (Riabych) and a member of the department for external relations, father Sergei Zvonariov. Despite the absence of expected guests, representatives of the Catholic Church and the Russian Orthodox Church decided to begin works on a document of reconciliation between the Polish and Russian nations – that’s the message after today’s meeting in Warsaw.

On Thursday, the Russian delegation at the airport was welcomed by father Jerzy Doroszkiewicz,, Secretary Office of the Orthodox Metropolitan of Warsaw and all Polish Sawa and PEC spokesman Ffather Jozef Kloch. In the afternoon the guests met with the Metropolitan Sawa.

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