Primate of Russian Church visits Orthodox Spiritual and Cultural Centre in Paris

On 3 December 2016, the first day of his visit to the diocese of Chersonese, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, together with Mr. Alexander Kolpakov, head of the Administrative Directorate of the Russian President, and Mr. Alexander Orlov, Russia’s Ambassador to France, visited the Orthodox Spiritual and Cultural Centre in Paris. His Holiness was accompanied by Bishop Nestor of Chersonese; Archbishop Sergy of Solnechnogorsk, head of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Administrative Secretariat; Bishop Antony of Bogorodsk, head of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Administration for Institutions Abroad; and other members of the delegation of the Russian Church.

The Orthodox Spiritual and Cultural Centre, designed by architect Jean-Michel Willmotte, consists of four buildings, occupies the area of over four thousand square meters and includes an exhibition centre, a Russian-French school, a concert hall and living quarters. The landmark of the complex is the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity that will be consecrated by the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church on December 3.

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill talked with the representatives of the Pushkin State Russian Language Institute who teach at the Centre and render methodological assistance to the teachers of the Russian language in compliance with the agreement with the French Ministry of National Education. His Holiness blessed their work, saying in particular, “It is very important that you should make progress in your work, so that, as a result of it, more and more people could learn Russian and so that it could strengthen the Russian cultural presence in France.” His Holiness emphasized the significance of the fact that such activities are being carried out in the proximity to the Orthodox church. “It is a unique combination,” he said, “This is as it should be. We convey our traditions, our culture and language with an open heart. We wish no evil to anybody, striving for good.”

Later that day His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia chaired a working meeting to discuss the Centre’s activities.

DECR Communication Service

Photo by the Patriarchal Press Service

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Primate of Russian Church visits Orthodox Spiritual and Cultural Centre in Paris

Patriarch

Department Chairman

Sermons

Patriarch

Department Chairman

Sermons