Home page News
“Christian holy sites in the Middle East” round ta…

“Christian holy sites in the Middle East” round table within the framework of the 29th International Educational Readings takes place at the DECR

On 18th May 2021, the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations hosted a round-table meeting to discuss “Christian Holy Sites in Islamic Regions and International Dialogue” as its topic. The meeting was held within the framework of the 29th International Educational Readings “Alexander Nevsky: West and East, People’s Historical Memory,” direction “Tradition. Dialogue. External Relations.”

The meeting was organized by the DECR Secretariat for Interreligious Relations and held under the chairmanship of Archbishop Leonid of Vladikavkaz and Alania, DECR’s deputy chairman. Participating in this event were clergymen and lay representatives of dioceses and organizations of the Russian Orthodox Church both in and outside Russia, as well as orientalist scholars and scholars of religion, authors and journalists.

Opening the meeting Archbishop Leonid drew attention of the participants to the distressful situation of Christianity in a number of Islamic regions that had been afflicted by local wars and conflicts. Pointing to the importance of the preservation of Christian presence in the cradle of Christianity – the Middle East and North Africa, the chairman of the round table spoke about the efforts undertaken by the Russian Orthodox Church and its partners for the protection of the rights of persecuted Christians and for rendering assistance to the hurt communities. Offering the example of North Caucasus, Archbishop Leonid underscored the importance of interreligious dialogue for ensuring peaceful and equal-right co-existence of Christians and Muslims.

The next speaker was Sergey A. Melnikov, Chairman of the Russian Association for the Protection of Religious Freedom. In his report he presented detailed information about considerable assistance provided to the people of Syria jointly by Russian religious communities and public organizations, with the participation of Russian military.

After that Hegumen Arseny (Sokolov), representative of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia to the Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, was invited to take the floor. He told the participants about cooperation with the Patriarchate of Antioch and other Christian leaders of Syria and Lebanon in the area of social service and in assisting the restoration of church buildings destroyed by war.

Aleksey V. Sarabyev, a senior researcher of the Russian Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, reported about the current situation of the Christian holy places in Syria.

Another representative of the Institute of Oriental Studies, Yury A. Averyanov, broached the problem of religious syncretism in the Ottoman culture, referring to the dual Christian-Islamic sanctuaries in the Asia Minor territories.

Deputy head of the Department of International Law at the People’s Friendship University of Russia, Alexander M. Solntsev, continued discussing the problems of Christianity in Turkey. He analyzed the fact of closing the museum in St. Sophia Cathedral in Istanbul in the light of Turkey’s obligations in accordance with international law.

Rev. Dimitry Safonov, DECR secretary for interreligious relations, closing the official presentations, offered the background information of returning the status of working mosque to St. Sophia Cathedral in the context of religious freedom situation in Turkey. He also mentioned other precedents of turning Christian churches, which are historical monuments, into worship places for Muslims and analyzed the situation of the Christian monuments in Turkey in general.

The reports being presented, the guests of the round table meeting took part in a lively discussion. There are plans to publish a book of reports presented at this meeting.

The chairman of the round table appraised the high scholarly level of the reports and thanked the participants for the interesting and informative presentations.

 


Share:
Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church participates in the Paschal reception at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia

20.05.2025

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill congratulates Pope Leo XIV on his election to the See of Rome

09.05.2025

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill meets with President of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro

08.05.2025

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill meets with the President of Cuba

08.05.2025

Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church awarded highest order of the Republic of Serbia

08.05.2025

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill meets with President of Serbia Aleksandar Vučić

08.05.2025

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill: AFU attack on the church in Belgorod region indicates lack of Christian faith of those who committed it 

07.05.2025

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill meets with Sheikh ul-Islam Allahshukur Pashazade, Chairman of the Caucasus Muslims’ Board

05.05.2025

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill meets with President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev

03.05.2025

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill arrives in Baku

03.05.2025

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill sends condolences following the explosion at Iranian port of Bandar Abbas

27.04.2025

Primates of the Russian and Serbian Orthodox Churches сelebrate Liturgy at Holy Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius

25.04.2025

Primates of the Russian and Serbian Orthodox Churches meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin

23.04.2025

A meeting of the Primates of the Russian and Serbian Orthodox Churches has taken place

22.04.2025

Сondolences of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill on the passing of Pope Francis

21.04.2025

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

Feedback

Fields marked by * are mandatory required

Send a message
Рус Укр Eng Deu Ελλ Fra Ita Бълг ქარ Срп Rom عرب