Delegation of monks and nuns headed by the secretary general of the Holy Synod of the Coptic Church arrives in Russia.

Communications Service of the DECR, 22.10.2026.

On 21 October a delegation of monks and nuns, at the invitation of His Holiness the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Kirill and with the blessing of His Holiness the Coptic Patriarch Tawadros, arrived in Moscow with the aim of going on a pilgrimage to the holy sites of Russia.

Comprising the delegation were bishops, clerics and monks and nuns fr om the Coptic dioceses of Egypt and Sudan. The trip is part of the development of dialogue between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Coptic Church and is taking place under the auspices of annual mutual exchange visits between Russian and Coptic monks.

The delegation was headed by the metropolitan of Asyut Youannes, the secretary general of the Holy Synod of the Coptic Church. Also making up the delegation were: the metropolitan of Khartoum and South Sudan Elijah, the metropolitan of Omdurman and Port Sudan Serapion; the bishop of South Sinai Apollos; inmate of the monastery of Saint Macarius the Great in the Nitria desert hieromonk Matthew el-Macari; cleric of the South Sinai diocese Father John Atef; colleagues at the Coptic Patriarchy deacon Vafik Michaeiel, deacon Safvat Yusif, nun Shereh Samir, nun Kyria Abdelsamih, nun Vasilia Gali, A. Milad, I. Sharkavi, M. Attal and R. Abdelmalk, and representative of the Khartoum diocese deacon Stefan Nadir.

Greeting the guests at Domodedovo International Airport were: auxiliary bishop to His Holiness the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Kirill the metropolitan of Zvenigorod Arsenius; deputy chairman of the Synodal department for monasteries and the monastic life and inmate of the Holy Conception Convent abbess Juliana (Kaleda); director of the secretariat of the north-east vicariate of the city of Moscow Father Sergy Bychkov; the representative of the Coptic Church in Russia hieromonk Daoud el-Antony; advisor to His Holiness Patriarch Tawadros II A. Milad; and representatives of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate and the Synodal department for monasteries and the monastic life.

The trip began with a visit to the stauropegic Convent of the Protecting Veil, which is wh ere the delegation were housed for their stay in Moscow. On behalf of the inmate of the convent abbess Theophania (Miskina) a solemn reception was given in honour of the guests.

The delegation’s visit to the Russian Orthodox Church will continue until 29 October. The visit will include stays at holy sites in Yaroslavl, Rostov the Great and Tver, including the Tolga Convent of the Presentation of Our lady in the Temple and the Dormition Monastery at Staritsa, as well as monastic houses and churches in Moscow and the Moscow region.

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Delegation of monks and nuns headed by the secretary general of the Holy Synod of the Coptic Church arrives in Russia.

Patriarch

Department Chairman

Sermons

Patriarch

Department Chairman

Sermons