Patriarch Kirill met the Commission for Dialogue between the Russian Church and the Coptic Church

OCP News Service – 21/9/22

Moscow-Russia: Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia met with members of the Commission for Dialogue between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Coptic Orthodox Church on September 20, 2022, at the Supreme Church Council of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, Moscow. Russian Orthodox Church was represented by Patriarchal Exarch of Africa, Metropolitan Leonid of Klin, Co-Chairman of the Commission Bishop of Kaskelen Gennady, Secretary of the Commission, DECR Secretary for Inter-Christian Relations Hieromonk Stefan (Igumnov), an employee of the DECR S.G. Alferov. Metropolitan Serapion of Los Angeles, Co-Chairman of the commission on the part of the Coptic Orthodox Church took part in the meeting via video link. The meeting was attended in Moscow by the Secretary of the Commission, Bishop Kirill, and the representative of the Coptic Church in Russia.

                                                                                     

“We cherish the many years of good friendly relations that bind our Churches, and, of course, the centuries-old friendship between the peoples of Egypt and Russia,” said  Patriarch Kirill, welcoming the delegation of the Coptic Church. – Now we are living a special history of international relations, which in many cases are violated, destroyed, become tenser, and aggravated by conflicts, but we must thank the Lord for the fact that relations between our Churches, and between our countries – Russia and Egypt – continue to be unchanged kind and strong.” The Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church stressed that in recent years the development of its relations with the Churches of Africa has become one of the highest priorities in the external activities of the Moscow Patriarchate. Patriarch recalled that in December 2021, the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church established the Patriarchal Exarchate of Africa, which created an additional powerful base for developing cooperation with the Coptic Church on the continent.

 

The patriarch specifically emphasized the need to resume the work of the Mixed Commission on the theological dialogue between the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Oriental Orthodox Churches, as well as to continue bilateral theological consultations between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Coptic Church.  Patriarch Kirill asked to convey his warmest greetings to Patriarch Tawadros II of Coptic Orthodox Church, who this year is celebrating his 70th birthday and 10th anniversary of his election to the Patriarchal Throne.

In response, the Metropolitan Serapion of Coptic Orthodox Church expressed gratitude to  Patriarch Kirill for the reception and conveyed to him the greetings and best wishes of Patriarch Tawadros II of the Coptic Orthodox Church.  “We would like to express our support for the Russian Orthodox Church, you, its Primate, and all the clergy of your Church in connection with the difficult current situation, full of challenges. We hope that the Ukrainian crisis will be resolved in the best possible way. We also pray for peace that is fair and takes into account the interests of all parties. We pray for the repose of the dead; about the injured and wounded, hoping that they will soon be safe,” Metropolitan Serapion said

Source:
OCP News Service