Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk begins his work trip to Lebanon

DECR Communication Service, 16/05/2025

On 16^th May 2025, Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk, Chairman of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate, arrived in Beirut with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus’.

His Eminence was accompanied by Archpriest Nikolai Balashov, Adviser to the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus’; Archpriest Igor Yakimchuk, DECR Deputy Chairman; and Priest Nikolai Vasin, Secretary to the DECR Chairman.

Meeting the delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church in Beirut were Metropolitan Nifon of Philippopolis, Representative of the Patriarch of Antioch and All the East to the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus’; Archimandrite Philip (Vasiltsev), Representative of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus’ to the Patriarch of Antioch and All the East and Rector of the Russian Orthodox Church’s Metochion in Lebanon; and Mr Alexander Rudakov, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to the Republic of Lebanon.

Upon his arrival, the DECR chairman met with His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia of the Armenian Apostolic Church. The meeting took place at the Rafic Hariri International Airport in Beirut.

The participants in the meeting discussed prospects of cooperation between the Moscow Patriarchate and the Catholicosate of Cilicia and noted the importance of promoting dialogue between the Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Churches. Metropolitan Anthony expressed his gratitude to the Catholicosate of Cilicia for its invariable support for the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. Patriarch Aram asked the DECR chairman to convey his fraternal regards to His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus’, his close acquaintance of many years.

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Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk begins his work trip to Lebanon

Patriarch

Department Chairman

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Patriarch

Department Chairman

Sermons