Home page News
DECR Chairman meets with the Grand Imam of Al…

DECR Chairman meets with the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar University and the General Secretary of the Muslim Council of Elders

DECR Communication Service, 16.09.2022. 

On September 15, Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk, Chairman of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate, met with General Secretary of the Muslim Council of Elders Mohamed Abdelsalam. In the course of a prolonged conversation, they exchanged opinions on the Christian-Muslim dialogue. Mohamed Abdelsalam recounted his contribution to the development of Muslim-Catholic dialogue and participation in drafting the Document on Human Fraternity adopted in 2019. Metropolitan Anthony was invited to visit Al-Azhar University in Egypt and the headquarters of the Muslim Council of Elders in UAE.

M. Abdelsalam stressed that his organization cherished the good relations established between the Russian Orthodox Church and Muslim communities, noting that he hoped for closer cooperation between his organization and the Russian Orthodox Church in promoting peace, tolerance and interfaith dialogue.

M. Abdelsalam cited initiatives for dialogue between Christianity and Islam, among them youth interreligious projects.

Metropolitan Anthony, in his turn, familiarized M. Abdelsalam with the work of the Interreligious Council in Russia and informed him about relationships between the Moscow Patriarchate and Christians communities in Africa.

On the same day, Metropolitan Anthony met with Grand Imam of Al-Azhar University Sheikh Ahmed El Tayeb, who also came to Kazakhstan for the Congress of Leaders of the World and Traditional Religions.

Metropolitan Anthony conveyed to the sheikh a greeting from His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, mentioning the talk that took place on April 12, 2010 in Cairo, when the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church visited Al-Azhar to meet with Sheikh Ahmed El Tayeb.

They exchanged opinions on a wide range of issues concerning Orthodox-Muslim cooperation in the world. Metropolitan Anthony informed his interlocutor about the relationships between the Moscow Patriarchate and the Coptic Church in Egypt.

They also discussed spiritual causes of the moral crisis in society and the role of religion in overcoming it.

The Grand Imam of Al-Azhar mentioned that in February 2012, he and Pope Francis jointly signed in Abu-Dhabi the Document on Human Fraternity.

Metropolitan Anthony recounted the history of the dialogue between the Moscow Patriarchate and Islamic communities in various countries and spoke about the work of the Interreligious Council in Russia, in which he represents the Russian Orthodox Church. The conversation was held in a warm and trustful atmosphere.

Present at the meeting were Archimandrite Philaret (Bulekov), DECR vice-chairman, Rev. Dimitry Safonov, DECR secretary for interreligious relations, and Rev. Alexander Ershov, assistant to the DECR chairman.

Share:
His Holiness Patriarch Kirill sends condolences to the Primate of the Orthodox Church of Antioch over terrorist attack on Church of Prophet Elias in Damascus

22.06.2025

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill meets with Secretary General of the Muslim Council of Elders

19.06.2025

Primate of the Russian Church celebrates Liturgy at the Holy Trinity-St. Sergius Lavra on the Feast of the Holy Trinity

08.06.2025

Representatives of the Local Orthodox Churches participate in Patriarchal service on the occasion of Saints Cyril and Methodius Day.

24.05.2025

Congratulatory Address by the members of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church to His Holiness Patriarch Kirill on the occasion of his name’s day.

24.05.2025

Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church participates in the Paschal reception at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia

20.05.2025

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill congratulates Pope Leo XIV on his election to the See of Rome

09.05.2025

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill meets with President of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro

08.05.2025

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill meets with the President of Cuba

08.05.2025

Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church awarded highest order of the Republic of Serbia

08.05.2025

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill meets with President of Serbia Aleksandar Vučić

08.05.2025

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill: AFU attack on the church in Belgorod region indicates lack of Christian faith of those who committed it 

07.05.2025

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill meets with Sheikh ul-Islam Allahshukur Pashazade, Chairman of the Caucasus Muslims’ Board

05.05.2025

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill meets with President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev

03.05.2025

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill arrives in Baku

03.05.2025

DECR Chairman: the politicization of the World Council of Churches puts its future under threat

01.07.2025

Delegation of the Moscow Patriarchate participates in the work of the WCC Central Committee in South Africa

18.06.2025

DECR Chairman meets with Russian Ambassador to South Africa

17.06.2025

DECR Chairman arrives in South Africa

16.06.2025

Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk meets with students of the Saint Petersburg Theological Academy

12.06.2025

DECR secretary for affairs of the far abroad archpriest Sergy Zvonaryov defends doctoral dissertation.

09.06.2025

Primate of the Russian Church celebrates Liturgy at the Holy Trinity-St. Sergius Lavra on the Feast of the Holy Trinity

08.06.2025

Presidential Council for Coordination with Religious Organisations meets in Moscow

05.06.2025

Metropolitan Antony of Volokolamsk meets with the Assyrian Patriarch

31.05.2025

DECR Chairman celebrates Liturgy at St. Nicholas Church in Rome

25.05.2025

A Moleben was served before the relics of St. Cyril Equal-to-the-Apostles in Rome

24.05.2025

Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church participates in the Paschal reception at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia

20.05.2025

Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk takes part in the consecration of a church in Zahlé, Lebanon

18.05.2025

DECR chairman visits Archdioceses of Zahlé and Beirut of Antiochian Patriarchate

18.05.2025

Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk meets with the head of the Maronite Church

17.05.2025

Metropolitan Hilarion: Many things in a person's life depend on faith

29.08.2021

Metropolitan Hilarion: The Holy Spirit is the main treasure of the Christian soul

01.08.2021

Metropolitan Hilarion: Holiness is a constant striving to imitate the Lord Jesus Christ

27.06.2021

Metropolitan Hilarion: God does not want to condemn, but to save us

07.03.2021

Metropolitan Hilarion: The Lord always grants to us the opportunity to display our talents

24.01.2021

Metropolitan Hilarion: The Lord has imbued the waters of Jordan with his divine presence to wash away human sins

19.01.2021

Metropolitan Hilarion: to repent means to change your way of life

17.01.2021

On commemoration day of St. Catherine, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk officiated at the Church of St. Catherine the Great Martyr In-the-Fields  the representation of the Orthodox Church in America

07.12.2020

Metropolitan Hilarion: We can always show compassion for people

29.11.2020

Metropolitan Hilarion celebrates on commemoration day of St. Varlaam of Khutyn at the church of ‘Joy to All the Afflicted’ icon of the Mother of God

19.11.2020

Metropolitan Hilarion: We should remember that the life of each human being is in the hands of God

06.11.2020

Metropolitan Hilarion: For God there is nothing impossible

25.10.2020

Metropoplitan Hilarion: The cross which was an instrument of dishonourable execution becomes the symbol of salvation for millions of people

27.09.2020

Metropolitan Hilarion: Eucharist is the wedding feast, to which Lord Jesus Christ invites each of us

13.09.2020

Metropolitan Hilarion: Faith alone is not enough for salvation

30.08.2020

Page is available in the following languages
Feedback

Fields marked by * are mandatory required

Send a message
Рус Укр Eng Deu Ελλ Fra Ita Бълг ქარ Срп Rom عرب