Home page News
Primate of Malankara Church completes his vis…

Primate of Malankara Church completes his visit to Russia

From August 31 to September 5, 2019, the Primate of the Malankara Church, His Holiness Catholicos Baselios Mar Thoma Paulose II was on a visit to Russia during which he had a meeting with His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia.

There were also negotiations with Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, head of the Moscow Patriarchate department for external church relations (DECR).

His Holiness the Catholicos and his delegation visited the Cathedral Church of Christ the Saviour and the Moscow Kremlin.

At the Ss Martha and Mary Convent, the guests from India were received by the mother superior of the convent, Sister Elizabeth (Posdnyakova) and were shown the facilities used for social service.

At the Novospassky Monastery, the Catholicos was welcomed by its abbot, Bishop Dionisy of Voskresensk. The guests saw the burial-vault of the Romanov noblemen and prayed at the miracle working icons of the Mother of God called ‘The All-Queen’. Then the abbot gave a reception in honour of the Malankara Church delegation.

On September 3, the guests came to the Sretensky Monastery and the Sretensky Theological Seminary and visited the St. Alexis of Moscow Central Clinic, to which they were welcomed by Bishop Panteleimon of Orekhovo-Zuevo, head of the Synodal Department for Church Charity and Social Service, and the head physician and director of the clinic Alexy Zarov. ‘His Holiness Patriarch Kirill advised that we should visit your clinic as the Malankara Church is very much concerned for the social work and service in hospitals. It has ten hospitals and two medical colleges. In 2016, our Church opened a center for oncological research. Perhaps in the future, as we maintain our relationships, we will have an opportunity for exchanging experience between doctors and nurses’, the Catholicos said.

The delegation of the Malankara Church also visited the hospital church of Our Lady of Tikhvin. They made a tour of palliative aid wards and talked to patients.

On September 4, the Catholicos arrived in the St. Sergius Laura of the Holy Trinity to venerate the holy relics of St. Sergius of Radonezh and to say a prayer for the reposes of the soul of Patriarch Pimen at his tomb. People in the Malankara Church cherish the memory of the visit made by Patriarch Pimen to India in the last century 70th, which became an important landmark in the development of the bilateral relations.

When at Moscow Theological Academy, the delegation saw the Church Archaeology Room, medical unit and library. At the Grand Assembly Hall, they met with students. They were welcomed by the rector of the academy, Bishop Pitirim of Zvenigorod. His Holiness the Catholicos congratulated the students on a new academic year and admonished them to seek the knowledge of God not only in theological studies but also through prayer, saying, ‘We cannot come to the knowledge of God only through theology. On the other hand, if we try to pray it means that we more and more seek to come to know Him’. Metropolitan Zachariah Nikolovos spoke about the importance of dialogue between the two Churches and wished them as future parish priests to become leaders of their parishes who are ready to lead their flocks in accordance with God’s will. ‘Remember our Church and pray for her. And may God bring our Churches to greater unity’, he said.

Then the students were introduced to the history of relationships between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Malankara Church. Father Abraham Thomas told them about the main landmarks in the history of his Church and answered questions. Hieromonk Stephen (Igumnov), DECR secretary for inter-Christian relations, acted as moderator of the meetings.

Later that day, the guests visited the Sofrino Art-Production Works.

On September 5, the delegation of the Malankara Church departed for India. They were seen off at the airport by Bishop Dionisy of Voskresensk, Hieromonk Stephen (Igumnov) and R. Akhmatkhanov, DECR secretariat for inter-Christian relations.

The party who accompanied the high guests included Metropolitan Zachariah Mar Nikolovos, head of the Malankara Church department for external church relations; Metropolitan Yuhanon Mar Diascoros, secretary of the Malankara Church Holy Synod; Rev. Abraham Thomas, secretary of the Malankara Church department for external church relations; and Rev. Aswin Zefrin Fernandis, head of the Malankara Catholicos’s protocol service; Rev. Jiss Jonson, personal secretary to His Holiness the Catholicos; Mr. Jacob Mathew, member of the Malankara Church Council; Mr. Kevin George Koshi, head of the communication service of the Malankara Church department for external church relations; Dr Cherian Eapen, a representative of the Malankara diaspora in Russia.

DECR Communication Service

Share:
Phone conversation took place between the Primates of Russian and Serbian Orthodox Churches

17.11.2024

Telephone conversation held between His Holiness Patriarch Kirill and the Primate of the Malankara Church of India

01.11.2024

Address by His Holiness Patriarch Kirill at the VIII World Congress of Compatriots Living Abroad

30.10.2024

Order of Right-Believing Prince Daniel of Moscow presented to Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk by Patriarch Kirill

24.10.2024

Primate of the Russian Church celebrates Divine Liturgy in the Holy Trinity and St. Sergius Lavra on the commemoration day of St. Sergius of Radonezh

09.10.2024

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill celebrates Little Vespers and Akathistos hymn to St. Sergius in the Lavra of the Holy Trinity and St. Sergius

07.10.2024

Message from the Primate of the Russian Church to His Holiness Patriarch Porfirije of Serbia in connection with blasphemous act on the ruins of ancient Ulpiana

14.09.2024

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill celebrates on the feast of the 300th anniversary of the transfer of relics of St.Alexander Nevsky to St. Petersburg

12.09.2024

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill celebrates All-night Vigil at the Christ the Savior Cathedral on the eve of Transfiguration

18.08.2024

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus' met with the Ambassador of India to Russia

30.07.2024

Catholicos-Patriarch Mar Awa III: Ukrainian government’s support for schism and persecution of the major canonical Church is a religious pogrom against the faithful Orthodox Christians of that country

24.07.2024

Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church consecrates the Holy Transfiguration Cathedral in the city of Tver.

21.07.2024

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill celebrates Liturgy at the Lavra of the Holy Trinity and St. Sergius on the commemoration day of the saint

18.07.2024

The Primate of the Russian Church celebrates All-night Vigil at the Lavra of the Holy Trinity and St. Sergius

17.07.2024

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill celebrates Little Vespers at the Lavra of the Holy Trinity and St. Sergius and reads akathist to the saint

17.07.2024

Phone conversation took place between the Primates of Russian and Serbian Orthodox Churches

17.11.2024

Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk meets with His Holiness Serbian Patriarch Porfirije

17.11.2024

Conference dedicated to centennial of the Holy Trinity Russian church is held in Belgrade

16.11.2024

Delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church takes part in COP29 Summit of Religious Leaders

06.11.2024

DECR chairman concludes his visit to India

03.11.2024

Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk meets with young Indian Christians

02.11.2024

Primate of Malankara Church of India receives Order of Glory and Honour, 1st Class

02.11.2024

DECR chairman takes part in church celebrations in India

02.11.2024

Telephone conversation held between His Holiness Patriarch Kirill and the Primate of the Malankara Church of India

01.11.2024

DECR Chairman has begun his visit to India

31.10.2024

Work of the Commission for Dialogue between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church is declared successful

24.10.2024

Synod acknowledges importance of bilateral projects carried out in collaboration with Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church

24.10.2024

Order of Right-Believing Prince Daniel of Moscow presented to Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk by Patriarch Kirill

24.10.2024

DECR Chairman heads celebrations for the fifteenth anniversary of the consecration of the Dormition Church at the Russian embassy in Beijing.

19.10.2024

Saint Petersburg Theological Academy hosts conference on the occasion of the 95th anniversary of metropolitan Nikodim (Rotov) entitled ‘The Person of Metropolitan Nikodim in the History of the Church’.

16.10.2024

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