Kirill gives Karekin II prize of Intrl Fund of Unity of Orthodox Peoples
21.01.2010
MOSCOW, January 21 (Itar-Tass) – Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia has given Catholicos Karekin II of All Armenians the prize of the International Fund of Unity of Orthodox Peoples for his contribution to strengthening unity between Orthodox believes and building a Russian church in Armenia.
The patriarch named Karekin II as “a big friend of the Russian Orthodox Church”. “Over many centuries we are like brothers despite the differences of our languages and doctrinal differences between the Churches,” His Holiness said.
He stressed that Russia and Armenia “lived as one state for a long time. Today our peoples have maintained intensive cooperation and communication”.
“The Armenian diaspora lives in many countries. Several Russian parishes work successfully in Armenia. The Armenian eparchy exists in Russia,” Kirill said.
He expressed hope that a mission of the Russian Orthodox Church “will start working in Yerevan soon”.
Karekin II thanked Patriarch Kirill for the high award. He noted that this prize “is one more sign of friendly relations between the brotherly peoples, Churches and states”. “It is especially important for me to receive this prize jointly with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev,” the Armenian Catholicos said.
President Medvedev met with the spiritual leader of all the Armenians and the Russian patriarch. They met prior to the start of the ceremony, in which the International Fund of Unity of Orthodox Christinian Nations awarded its annual prizes for the strengthening of unity of Eastern Orthodox Christians.
The Fund awarded the prizes for 2009 to President Medvedev and Garegin II, among a number of other personalities.
During the meeting, the sides discussed a variety of aspects of Russian-Armenian relations, including the spiritual sphere.
This prize has been also given to Serbian director Emir Kustunica and the St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary located in the suburbs of New York.
Snaps: www.patriarchia.ru
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