
Department for External Church Relations
The site uses cookies to help show you the most up-to-date information. By continuing to use the site, you consent to the use of your Metadata and cookies. Cookie policy
Presidential Council for Coordination with Religious Organisations meets in Moscow



DECR Communication Service, 05/06/2025
On 3rd June 2025, in St. Catherine Hall of the Moscow Kremlin, the Presidential Council for Coordination with Religious Organisations held its grand meeting under the chairmanship of Mr Anton Vaino, Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office. The meeting marked the 30th anniversary of the Council’s establishment.
Taking part in the meeting were heads and representatives of major religious organisations in Russia, as well as government officials, scholars and experts.
The participants in the meeting summed up the results of the Council’s work for the past thirty years and outlined plans for the future, Press Service of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus’ reports, citing Kremlin.ru.
Mr Vaino, the Council chairman, thanked the religious organisations for fruitful and wide-ranging work and for their patriotic stance in upholding peace and civil concord in society and promoting traditional spiritual and moral ideals and values. As he also pointed out, the religious organisations provide effective help to participants in the special military operation and veterans, as well as to their family members and civilians affected by the hostilities.
Representing the Russian Orthodox Church at the meeting were the following Council members: Metropolitan Grigory of Voskresensk, chancellor of the Moscow Patriarchate; Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Department for External Church Relations; Archpriest Maxim Kozlov, chairman of the Education Committee of the Russian Orthodox Church; Hegumenness Ksenia (Chernega), head of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Legal Administration; and Mr Vladimir Legoyda, chairman of the Synodal Department for Church’s Relations with Society and Mass Media. Taking part in the meeting were also Hieromonk Stefan (Igumnov), DECR secretary for inter-Christian relations; Mr Aleksandr Shchipkov, rector of the St. John the Theologian Russian Orthodox University; and Hieromonk Onisim (Bamblevsky), chairman of the Religious Education Department of the Moscow City Diocese.
Sermons
24.01.2021
06.11.2020