Home page News
Metropolitan Hilarion speaks at plenary session of…

Metropolitan Hilarion speaks at plenary session of the Synod of Catholic Bishops in Vatican

On October 16, 2014, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, head of the Moscow Patriarchate’s department for external church relations, attended the plenary session of the Third Extraordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Catholic Bishops held these days in the Vatican on the theme ‘Pastoral Challenges of the Family in the Context of Evangelization’.

Before the session, the high representative of the Russian Orthodox Church was warmly welcomed by Pope Francis, Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith Cardinal Gerhard Ludwig Muller, President of the Pontifical Council for the Family Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia, representative of the Patriarchate of Constantinople Metropolitan Athenagoras of Belgium and other participants in the meeting.

The plenary session chaired by Pope Francis was opened with an address by Metropolitan Hilarion who greeted the Head of the Roman Catholic Church and all the bishops present on behalf of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia.

In his address, the DECR chairman underlined that ‘The topic of the family is one of the most acute and vital today. It is an indicator of the moral state of the society in which we live’. In today’s society, Metropolitan Hilarion said, ‘there is an increasingly aggressive propagation of the idea of moral relativism applied also to the institution of the family held sacred by all of humanity’. The main challenges facing the institution of traditional family today are frequent disintegration of families, abortion, legalization of same-sex unions and the spread of such technologies unacceptable from Christian point of view as ‘surrogate motherhood’.

Metropolitan Hilarion called the Orthodox and the Catholics ‘to join efforts and come out as a united front for the noble goal of protecting the family when confronted by the challenges of the secular world… both in dialogue with the legislative and executive authorities in particular countries and on the platforms of international organizations, such as the UN and the Council of Europe’.

The DECR chairman made a special mention of the Eastern Christian tradition of married clergy and the Orthodox Church’s practice of oikonomia with regard to church divorce and second marriage. His Eminence expressed the idea that this age-old practice could become a valuable experience in settling pastoral problems of the family.

Speaking about Eastern Catholic Churches in the end of his address, Metropolitan Hilarion expressed deep concern over the involvement of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church together with Ukrainian schismatics in the civic confrontation in Ukraine, which has already taken thousands of lives. He called the representatives of this Church ‘to renounce any statements on political topics and any visible forms of support of the schism’.

DECR Communication Service

Share:
His Holiness Patriarch Kirill sends letter to His Beatitude Patriarch John X of Antioch concerning tragic developments in Syria

11.03.2025

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill meets with delegation of Malankara Church

08.03.2025

Delegation of the Malankara Church attends Patriarchal Liturgy on the commemoration day of Blessed Matrona of Moscow

08.03.2025

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill speaks on the phone with His Holiness Serbian Patriarch Porfirije

25.02.2025

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill meets with the Ambassador of Pakistan to Russia

06.02.2025

Divine Liturgy celebrated at Christ the Saviour Cathedral on the occasion of the sixteenth anniversary of the enthronement of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill

01.02.2025

Condolences of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill on the passing of the Primate of the Albanian Orthodox Church

25.01.2025

On the Feast of the Nativity of Christ, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill celebrated Great Vespers at the Cathedral of Christ the Savior

07.01.2025

On the Feast of the Nativity of Christ, the Primate of the Russian Church celebrated the Liturgy at the Cathedral of Christ the Savior

07.01.2025

Christmas Message by His Holiness Patriarch KIRILL of Moscow and All Russia

06.01.2025

A Joint Session of the Holy Synod and the Supreme Church Council of the Russian Orthodox Church Took Place

26.12.2024

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill presided over the joint session of the Holy Synod and the Supreme Church Council

26.12.2024

Primate of the Russian Church consecrates Church of the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Constantine and Helena in Mitino, Moscow.

22.12.2024

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill: Violations of the rights of the faithful of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church have been noted in reports by international human rights organizations.

20.12.2024

Phone conversation took place between His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and His Beatitude Patriarch John of Antioch

12.12.2024

Meeting of the Council of the Christian Interconfessional Advisory Committee has been held

28.02.2025

Metropolitan Antony of Volokolamsk participates in Patriarchal Liturgy in Belgrade

26.02.2025

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill speaks on the phone with His Holiness Serbian Patriarch Porfirije

25.02.2025

His Holiness Serbian Patriarch Porfirije receives Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk

25.02.2025

DECR Chairman tells participants of the meeting at Nizhny Novgorod seminary about external contacts of the Russian Orthodox Church

22.02.2025

Rector of St George Church at Russia’s Embassy in Prague awarded the Order of Holy Prince Vladimir, Equal-to-the-Apostles

20.02.2025

Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk celebrates Divine Liturgy at St. Nicholas Metochion in Bari

16.02.2025

DECR chairman meets with Catholic Archbishop of Bari-Bitonto Giuseppe Satriano

15.02.2025

On the Feast of the Meeting of the Lord, Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk celebrates Liturgy at the relics of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker in Bari

15.02.2025

Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk: "We have embarked on a significant and new endeavor in Africa."

04.02.2025

The funeral service and burial of His Beatitude Archbishop Anastasios of Albania took place.

30.01.2025

Annual Christmas meeting takes place at Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs

29.01.2025

Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk meets with Primate of Orthodox Church of Antioch

26.01.2025

Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk visits Lebanon

26.01.2025

DECR Chairman meets with chaplain of St. Andrew's Anglican church in Moscow

23.01.2025

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