Home page News
Patriarch Kirill discussed situation in Syria over…

Patriarch Kirill discussed situation in Syria over telephone with Pope Francis of Rome and Primates of Local Orthodox Churches

‘Today I have had a talk with Pope Francis and all the Orthodox Patriarchs in the Middle East – Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople, Theodoros of Alexandria, John of Antioch and Theophilos of Jerusalem. Certainly, it was about Syria’, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia informed mass media representatives during his meeting with them on April 14, 2018, at the patriarchal residence in Peredelkino.

Participating in the talks, which were initiated by the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church, was also Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, head of the Moscow Patriarchate department for external church relations (DECR).

‘We have undertaken this initiative in the awareness that Christians cannot stand aside from all that is happening in Syria today. Syria, the Middle East, is the place where Christianity emerged, and the terrible conflicts tormenting the Syrian land today cannot but create threats including to the Christian presence. Moreover, it is quite obvious that people are suffering. And the message of the Church has always involved proclamation of peace among people and justice. So, it is impossible to keep silent about what is happening in Syria’, Patriarch Kirill stated.

At about 4 o’clock, Moscow time, the USA, France and Great Britain launched a missile attack on Syria.

‘I am satisfied with my talks as each of my interlocutors took my concern with full understanding’, His Holiness continued, 'there is a wish to continue consultations to try somehow to influence the situation’.

According to His Holiness, the Church is a peacemaking force. ‘We say this with reference to an internal situation, when we consider some domestic conflicts. We say this even in reference to people’s private lives when it is necessary to reconcile people. But the Church should play this role globally as well’.

‘We discussed that Christians, too, should influence the situation in a way that would make the violence stop, make the war stop, so that there will be no such terrible casualties as taking place today. It was an explicitly peacemaking dialogue’, the Primate of the Russian Church underscored.

His Holiness also noted that the Church has no political aims whatsoever: ‘she is outside of any political context or political struggle, and this enables us to talk with all, which is a big thing in a situation of conflict’.

The head of the Patriarchal Press Service, Rev. Alexander Volkov, answering questions from journalists about the telephone talks, said that the talk the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church had with Pope Francis of Rome ‘was held in a good atmosphere of mutual understanding. It began with reciprocal Easter greetings and continued in the context of Syrian problems and the threat faced by the entire world community. The Pope and the Patriarch agreed to continue the constructive dialogue’.

That same day, at the instruction of Patriarch Kirill, Metropolitan Hilarion discussed the same topic with Patriarch Tawadros II of the Coptic Church and Patriarch Ignatius Aphrem II, head of the Syriac Jacobite Church.

Patriarchal Press Service

DECR Communication Service

Photos by Patriarchal Press 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