Home page News
Metropolitan Hilarion meets with Cardinal Koch in …

Metropolitan Hilarion meets with Cardinal Koch in St. Petersburg

On 27 July 2017, Metropolitan Hilarion, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations (DECR), met with Cardinal Kurt Koch, president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity who arrived to St. Petersburg as head of the delegation of the Roman Catholic Church to accompany the relics of St.Nicholas the Wonderworker to Bari.

Discussed during the meeting, which took place at the Novodevichy Resurrection Convent in St. Petersburg, were various issues of bilateral relations between the Moscow Patriarchate and the Roman Catholic Church. The extraordinary event of bringing the relics of St. Nicholas, Archbishop of Myra in Lycia, from Bari to Russia was noted. Metropolitan Hilarion said that over two million believers venerated the relics of the most revered saint in Moscow and St. Petersburg and underscored that it has happened thanks to the agreement between Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia and Pope Francis reached at their historic meeting in Havana in February 2016. Metropolitan Hilarion thanked Cardinal Koch and his associated for their help in arranging this event so important for the entire Russian Church.

Cardinal Kurt Koch expressed joy and deep appreciation of the believers’ enthusiasm and added that it has demonstrated the big part played by the veneration of saints of the early Church in the overcoming of differences and prejudices among Christians. Metropolitan Hilarion and Cardinal Koch agreed that cooperation among Churches should be continued. The work of the Joint working group for cultural cooperation between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church was also considered.

A festive dinner was offered that same day at the Novodevichy Resurrection Convent. Attending it were Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk and members of the Roman Catholic Church’s delegation: Cardinal Kurt Koch; Mgr Francesco Cacucci, Archbishop of Bari-Bitonto; Rev. Ciro Capotosto, rector of the Basilica of St. Nicholas in Bari; Rev. Hyacinthe Destivelle of the Pontifical Secretariat for Promoting Christian Unity; Rev. Carlo Cinquepalmi, head of the communication service of the Archdiocese of Bari-Bitonto; as well as hegumeness Sofia, abbess of the Novodevichy Resurrection Convent; Rev. Alexy Dikarev, a DECR staff member; and Orthodox benefectors from the PhosAgro holding company Mr. Andrey Guriev Sr.; Mr. Andrey Guriev, Jr; Ms Gurieva; Mr. Kuzmuk; Mr. Goloschapov and president of the Baltic Board of Lawyers Mr. Vadim Zhimirov.

DECR Communication Service

Share:
Congratulations of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill to the President of Turkey on his 70th birthday

26.02.2024

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill's condolences in connection with the murder of the monks of the Ziquala Abo Monastery in Ethiopia

24.02.2024

Address by His Holiness Patriarch Kirill at the XII Christmas Parliamentary Meetings at the Federation Council of the Russian Federation

23.01.2024

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill: Patriarch of Constantinople is not a free man

07.01.2024

Christmas Message from Patriarch KIRILL of Moscow and All Rus’

06.01.2024

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill had phone conversation with Metropolitan Ioann of Belgorod and Stary Oskol

02.01.2024

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill expresses condolences over deadly earthquake in northwest China

19.12.2023

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill congratulates Mr Abdel Fattah El-Sisi on his re-election as President of Egypt

19.12.2023

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill welcomes the opening of an exhibition dedicated to the decoration of the Church of St Sava in Belgrade

19.12.2023

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill presides over jubilee meeting of Inter-Religious Council of Russia

07.12.2023

Address by His Holiness Patriarch Kirill at jubilee meeting of Inter-Religious Council of Russia

07.12.2023

Patriarchal greetings on the occasion of 60th anniversary of the Diocese of Vienna and Austria

26.11.2023

Primate of Russian Church presents historic miracle-working Kazan Icon of the Mother of God to the faithful and celebrates Liturgy in the Kremlin Dormition Cathedral

04.11.2023

Address by His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus’ to the participants of the World Conference of Compatriots Living Abroad

01.11.2023

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill met with the Primate of the Assyrian Church of the East

31.10.2023

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