Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk Meets with the Minister of Peace of Ethiopia

DECR Communication Service, 04.06.2026.

On June 4, continuing his stay in Addis Ababa, Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk, Chairman of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate, met with Mohamed Idris, Minister of Peace of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia. The ministry is responsible for overseeing relations between the state and religious communities and for coordinating interreligious dialogue.

The parties discussed current issues of inter-Christian and interreligious cooperation, as well as the importance of supporting traditional moral institutions, emphasizing that the exchange of experience in this field could be beneficial for both Russia and Ethiopia. Metropolitan Anthony spoke about practical aspects of the peaceful coexistence and cooperation of representatives of traditional religions in Russia. Mohamed Idris noted the role of the Russian Orthodox Church and the Ethiopian Church in strengthening friendship between peoples and their contribution to maintaining interreligious peace.

Various cooperation projects, including initiatives in the media sphere, and other matters were also discussed.

Also participating in the meeting were Deputy Minister of Peace Keyretdin Tezera; A.S. Chesnakov, Senior Counsellor of the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Ethiopia; Hieromonk Stefan (Igumnov), Secretary for Inter-Christian Affairs of the DECR; and Fr. Alexander Ershov, Assistant to the DECR Chairman.

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Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk Meets with the Minister of Peace of Ethiopia

Patriarch

Department Chairman

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Patriarch

Department Chairman

Sermons