Metropolitan Kirill meets the Ambassador of Finland

On 31 March 2006, Chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate Department for External Church Relations Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad met with the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Finland to the RF Mr. Harry Gustaf Helenius.

They discussed the relationship between Russia and Finland and the experience of cooperation of the Moscow Patriarchate with the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland and the Autonomous Orthodox Church of Finland.

It was noted that the presence of the Orthodox Church in Finland was an important part of the common heritage of the Russian and Finnish people.

Also discussed were problems of pastoral care for the thousands of Russian-speaking Orthodox believers living in Finland and the relationship of the Russian Orthodox Church with other Christian Churches.

Taking part in the meeting were DECR MP deputy chairman Rev. Vsevolod Chaplin and DECR secretary for interorthodox relations Rev. Nikolai Balashov.