Orthodox Churches

Patriarch Kirill meets with heads of Christian Churches in Finland

On June 13, 2012, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia met with Archbishop Leo of Karelia and All (Finnish Autonomous Orthodox Church), Archbishop Kari Mäkinen of Turku, primate of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Finland and Bishop Teemu Sippo of Helsinki (Roman Catholic Church).
Present at the meeting were also Finland’s ambassador to Russia Hannu Himanen, Rev. Dr. Kimmo Karijainen, director for international relations of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Finland, and Mr. Tuomo Pesonen, director of the information service of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Finland.

Present from the Russian Orthodox Church were DECR Chairman Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, Archpriest Igor Yakimchuk, DECR secretary for inter-Orthodox relations, Archpriest Sergiy Zvonarev, DECR secretary for the far abroad, Archpriest Dimitry Sizonenko, DECR acting secretary for inter-Christian relations, and Archpriest Victor Liutik, Moscow Patriarchate representative in Finland.

The Freedom Award

On Saturday, May 12, 2012, His All-Holiness received Four Freedom Award from the Franklin D. Roosevelt Foundation in Nieuwe Kerk in Middelburg (Netherlands). The Freedoms Medals are presented to men and women whose achievements have demonstrated a commitment to those principles which President Roosevelt proclaimed in his historic speech to Congress on January 6, 1941, as essential to democracy: freedom of speech and expression, freedom of worship, freedom from want, freedom from fear.

Delegation of the Moscow Patriarchate attends celebration of Patriarch Bartholomew’s Name Day

On June 10-12, 2012, the Name Day of His Holiness Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople was celebrated in Istanbul. A delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church took part in the celebration with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill. The delegation was led by Bishop Savva of Voskresensk, a vicar of the Moscow diocese and abbot of the Novospassky monastery. He was accompanied by deacon Feodor Shulga, a staff member of the DECR secretariat for inter-Orthodox relations, and nun Nina (Pikova).

Upon their arrival in Istanbul on 10 June 2012, members of delegation prayed at Great Vespers in monastery of the Life-Giving Fount of the Theotokos in Valukli, where the burial-vault of the Patriarchs of Constantinople is located.

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill completes his visit to the Church of Cyprus

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia paid an official visit to the Orthodox Church of Cyprus on June 8-11, 2012.

The Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church was accompanied by Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations (DECR); Bishop Sergiy of Solnechnogorsk, head of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Administrative Secretariat; Mr. Vladimir Legoida, chairman of the Synodal Information Department; archpriest Nikolai Balashov, DECR deputy chairman; archpriest Igor Yakimchuk, DECR secretary for inter-Orthodox relations; protodeacon Vladimir Nazarkin, assistant to the DECR chairman; and Mr. Mikhail Kuksov, acting head of the Patriarch’s personal secretariat.

On the first day of the visit, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill and the hierarchs who accompanied him, attended the session of the Holy Synod of the Orthodox Church of Cyprus.

His All-Holiness visits Armenian Hospital

On Saturday, June 2, 2012, His All-Holiness, accompanied by Metropolitan Stephanos of Kallioupolis and Madytos, visited the Armenian hospital of St. Savior (Surp Pırgiç) in Kazlıçeşme and attended an exhibition entitled "The Ottoman period until today -- 180 Years of History: the Armenian Hospital of Saint Savior. "