Head of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission visits Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem

DECR Communications Service, 12.08.2024.

On August 12, archimandrite Vassian (Zmeyev), head of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission in Jerusalem, visited the Patriarchate of Jerusalem, where he was received by His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos III of the Holy City of Jerusalem and All Palestine, Mission's website reported.

Archimandrite Vassian was accompanied by hieromonk Peter (Borodulin) of the Mission and sister Serafima (Ivanchik), head of the chancery. Joining the meeting was Archbishop Aristarchos of Constantina, chief secretary of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem.

Archimandrite Vassian introduced hieromonk Petr (Borodulin), who has been sent to serve in the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission, to His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos.

During the talk, the head of the Mission informed His Beatitude about the hard situation on the border of the Kursk region due to the invasion the Ukrainian armed forces, which had shelled St. Nicholas monastery in Gornal village and seriously damaged churches and buildings on its territory. A monastery worker had died. Talking about the aggression of the Ukrainian military against civilians, archimandrite Vassian said that several more churches located near the Ukrainian border had been damaged, and that there was still no contact with some clergymen and no possibility of their evacuation.

His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos expressed his condolences over the death of civilians and the destruction of churches in the Kursk diocese and underscored the necessity of praying for those currently in danger due to military actions. According to His Beatitude, the situation in the Gaza Strip remains serious; civilians have been being killed in a long military operation, and the presence of Christians in the region is under serious threat.

At the end of the meeting, His Beatitude expressed the hope that the Lord God by His mercy will help to end the conflicts and restore peace and harmony between countries and peoples.

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Head of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission visits Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem

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