Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk meets with hierarchs of the Orthodox Church of Cyprus

DECR Communication Service, 20/05/2024

On 20^th May 2024, Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate, while in Cyprus with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, visited the metochion of the Kykkos Monastery in Nicosia and met with the monastery’s abbot, Metropolitan Nikiforos of Kykkos and Tylliria.

During a long meeting held in the atmosphere of fraternal cordiality, the hierarchs discussed the current situation in the world, as well as the challenges facing the world Orthodoxy nowadays and the ways the Church could respond to them.

Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk thanked Metropolitan Nikiforos for his invariably firm and principled stance in defence of the holy canons of the Church and noted that thanks to his fortitude Metropolitan Nikiforos of Kykkos and Tylliria is known and greatly respected not only in Cyprus, but in other Orthodox countries as well.

Metropolitan Nikoforos asked the DECR chairman to convey his esteem and love to His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia whom he had received in the Kykkos Monastery back in 2012, during His Holiness’s irenic visit to the Orthodox Church of Cyprus.

At the conclusion of the meeting, the hierarchs exchanged memorable gifts.

The same day later, the chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations visited the Metropolis of Morphou of the Orthodox Church of Cyprus. Because of the Turkish occupation of the northern part of the island, the residence of the ruling hierarch of the Metropolis of Morphou was transferred to Evrychou village. There Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk met with Metropolitan Neophytos of Morphou.

The two hierarchs had a long and meaningful meeting.

Metropolitan Neophytos expressed his support to the oppressed Ukrainian Orthodox Church, condemning persecutions against its bishops, clergy and faithful.

He also shared with his guests his thoughts on the place of the Orthodox faith in the present-day world and on the dangers that today threaten Orthodoxy, its purity and unity.

To commemorate the meeting, Metropolitan Neophytos of Morphou presented to Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk an “Inexhaustible Chalice” Icon of the Mother of God.

In response, the DECR chairman presented a holy panagia to the hierarch of the Orthodox Church of Cyprus.

Taking part in the meetings were also Archpriest Igor Yakimchuk, DECR deputy chairman; Archpriest Pavel Povalayev, rector of St. Nicholas Church in Limassol; and Priest Nikolai Vasin, secretary to the DECR chairman.