Department for External Church Relations
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DECR Chairman takes part in interreligious forum in Assisi
DECR Communication service, 27.10.2026
On 25–27 October, with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus’, Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk, Chairman of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate, took part in the interreligious forum “Prayer for Peace”, held in the Italian city of Assisi.
The conference, organised annually by the Catholic Community of Sant’Egidio, was held under the title “Peace Without Weapons and Disarming Peace”.
At the solemn opening ceremony of the forum, a message of greeting from the President of the Italian Republic, Sergio Mattarella, was read out. The participants were also addressed by Andrea Riccardi, founder of the Community of Sant’Egidio; Haïm Korsia, Chief Rabbi of France; and Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, Archbishop of Bologna and President of the Italian Episcopal Conference.
The forum then continued with thematic sessions.
On 27 October, a closing ceremony was held in the square in front of the Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi, during which, among other things, a video address by Pope Leo XIV was delivered.
On the sidelines of the forum, the DECR Chairman met with Archbishop John of Tirana and All Albania; Mar Awa III, Catholicos-Patriarch of the Assyrian Church of the East; Cardinal Matteo Zuppi; Metropolitan Niphon of Philippopolis (Patriarchate of Antioch); Metropolitan Joseph of Western and Southern Europe (Romanian Patriarchate); Professor Andrea Riccardi; and Bishop Heinrich Bedford-Strohm, Moderator of the Central Committee of the World Council of Churches.
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