« Primates of the Orthodox Church of Greece and Russia meet in Athens during the official visit of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill to Greece »

On 1st  June, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia arrived in Greece at the invitation of His Beatitude Hieronymus II, Archbishop of Athens and All Greece, and the Holy Synod of the Orthodox Church of Greece.

Accompanying the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church are Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations (DECR); Bishop Sergiy of Solnechnogorsk, head of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Administrative Secretariat; Mr. Vladimir Legoida, chairman of the Synodal Information Department; archpriest Nikolai Balashov, DECR deputy chairman; archpriest Igor Yakimchuk, DECR secretary for Inter-Orthodox relations; protodeacon Vladimir Nazarkin, assistant to the DECR chairman; and Mikhail Kuksov, head of the patriarchal personal secretariat.

Meeting the delegation at Athens airport Eleftherios Venizelos were His Beatitude Archbishop Hieronymos of Athens and All Greece; Metropolitan Prokopios of Philippi, Neapolis and Thasos, president of the Synodal committee on inter-Orthodox and inter-Christian relations; Metropolitan Chrysostomos of Peristerion; Metropolitan Nikolaos of Mesogaia and Laureotiki; Metropolitan Pavlos of Sissanion and Siatista; Metropolitan Dionysios of Korinthos; Bishop Prokopios of Christianoupolis; Bishop Gabriel of Diavlia; Deputy Foreign Minister of Greece Konstantinas Tsiaras; and H. E. Vladimir Chkhikvishvili, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to the Greek Republic.

The Primate of the Russian Church told representatives of the Russian and Geek mass media that he had always come to Greece in good spirits. He continued, saying: “Greece is an Orthodox friendly country which has maintained close relations with Russia and with all countries of Holy Rus’ for centuries. It was Greece that has given us Ss Cyril and Methodius, Equal-to-the-Apostles, who have commenced Russian literature. Greece played an important part in the Christianization of Russia, and Russia played an important part in the liberation of Greece later.

“We are united by spiritual and cultural ties, by common struggle for independence of the Greek people, and by many other things at present. I am happy to have arrived here.”

In the evening, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia met with His Beatitude Archbishop Hieronymos II of Athens and All Greece at the archbishop’s palace.

His Beatitude Hieronymos told his guest about the historical building in which sessions of the Holy Synod take place.

The Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church mentioned that he was here last time when meeting with Archbishop Christodoulos of the blessed memory and that he visited the archbishop’s palace at the time of Archbishop Seraphim and Archbishop Hieronymos I. “I have many recollections of this place as I accompanied Patriarch Pimen and Patriarch Alexy II,” he added.

Patriarch Kirill wished Archbishop Hieronymos God’s grace and help in guiding the Orthodox Church of Greece at this difficult time.

“They say that there are no easy times. This is true, indeed, as the Church on the earth is a militant church. She knows no tranquillity as she fights for the salvation of human souls, and this fight demands great efforts. We believe that under your guidance and with active involvement of the Holy Synod the Orthodox Church of Greece will cope with the problems you are facing today. I would like to tell you that the Russian Orthodox Church is always with you in prayers and deliberations,” His Holiness said.

Later, the Primates met with the members of the Holy Synod of the Orthodox Church of Greece. Archbishop Hieronymos greeted His Holiness on their behalf.

Patriarch Kirill noted that both Churches are interested in each other’s opinion on many different problems and added: “These fraternal and mutually enriching contacts are explained by the fact that both our Churches as churches of the majority in our countries have played a decisive role in preserving our nations and in shaping their statehood. Historically, they bear a great responsibility, hence our common goals.”

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill left the following entry in the distinguished visitors’ book: “We have begun our peace visit to the fraternal people of Greece with a cordial brotherly talk at the centre of the Orthodox Church of Greece. I wholeheartedly wish peace and prosperity to His Beatitude Archbishop Hieronymos of Athens, members of the Holy Synod and the plenitude of the Church of Greece. We will support each other in bearing our pastoral responsibility for spiritual life of our nations by common work and prayers.”

His Holiness read these words aloud and mentioned that he was ordained on June 1 forty-four years ago. Archbishop Hieronymos and all those present exclaimed Axios!

Diocese of Sourozh / Official Web Site of the Department for External Church Relati