Department for External Church Relations
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Patriarch Kirill meets with ordinary of Catholic Archdiocese of the Mother of God in Moscow, Archbishop Paolo Pezzi
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On November 1, 2011, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia met with Archbishop Paolo Pezzi, ordinary of the Archdiocese of the Mother of God in Moscow (Roman Catholic Church). The meeting took place at the Patriarch’s working residence in Chisty Pereulok.
In the beginning of the meeting, the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church warmly welcomed the guest and said he was pleased with the development of Orthodox-Catholic relations. Archbishop Pezzi, in his turn, told the Patriarch about the state of affairs in the Catholic parishes and presented his Holiness with an album published on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Moscow.
They discussed the need for further development of cooperation in carrying out projects aimed at asserting in today’s public consciousness respect for human life beginning from the moment of conception to natural death and for the everlasting value of family. Patriarch Kirill pointed to the dangerous influence of secular thinking which is forcibly imposed on the everyday life and consciousness of the modern man guiding directing him towards consumption, extraction of profit and enjoyment. ‘Without even any special propaganda but as if from within it destroys the Christian system of values. The preservation of this system is something that both the Orthodox Church and the Catholic Church are interested in. And the fact that we have an opportunity today to work together is an important factor for both the consolidation of Russian society and assertion of Christian norms of life in it, he said.
They also discussed some practical issues of inter-church cooperation.
Taking part in the talk was also Archpriest Dimitry Sizonenko, DECR secretary for inter-Christian relations.
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