Chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations made an archpastoral visitation to Norway

CHAIRMAN OF THE MOSCOW PATRIARCHATE’S DEPARTMENT FOR EXTERNAL CHURCH RELATIONS MADE AN ARCHPASTORAL VISITATION TO NORWAY

Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad, the chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations, was on an archpastoral visitation to Russian Orthodox parishes in Oslo and Stavanger, Norway, from June 26 to 29, 1999.

On June 26, he was at the Orthodox parish in Stavanger which was established last January. He celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the parish and addressed the congregation with an archpastoral homily. During lunch after the service, Metropolitan Kirill had a talk with the parish’s activists and discussed with them plans for building in Stavanger a Russian Orthodox church dedicated to St. Protomartyr Irina.

On June 27, His Eminence Kirill celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the domestic chapel of the Parish of St. Princess Olga Equal-to-the-Apostles in Oslo. After the service, he was shown the new facilities of the parish in the center of the capital. During the reception given in honour of the Metropolitan by the Parish Council, he had an opportunity to talk to the community members and answer their numerous questions. Present at the reception were members of the Scandinavian Pilgrimage to Orthodoxy, a Norwegian organization interested in the life of parishes and monasteries of the Russian Orthodox Church and its missionary and charitable service.

On June 28, the chairman of the Department for External Church Relations paid a visit to the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Norway. In the absence of the ambassador, he had a talk with the Charges d’Affaires M. Kogeyev and discussed with him the work of the Russian Orthodox parishes in the territory of Norway.

Later that day, the National Council of the Churches in Norway gave a dinner in honour of Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad at its administrative center. His talk with the Council officials concerned the presence of the Russian Orthodox diaspora in Norway, the need to establish Orthodox parishes of the Moscow Patriarchate for them in Norway and cooperation between the Russian Orthodox Church and member churches of the National Council of Churches in Norway. His Eminence Kirill also informed them about the efforts made by the Russian Orthodox Church to help resolve the conflict in Yugoslavia and to speed up a peaceful settlement in Kosovo.

After the talk with representatives of the National Council of Churches in Norway, a bilateral conversation took place between representatives of the Church of Norway and the Russian Orthodox Church. The Russian Orthodox Church was represented by Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad in his capacity of chairman of the Department for External Church Relations and hieromonk Clement (Huhtamjaki), rector of the Parish of St. Princess Olga Equal to the Apostles in Oslo. The meeting discussed bilateral relations, the work of the World Council of Churches and its future, as well as the work of the Barents Sea Council of Churches. It was agreed that in order to take pastoral care of the Orthodox in northern Norway it was necessary to send an Orthodox priest there. The high-ranking representatives of the Church of Norway expressed their readiness to support this initiative. The two sides gave much attention to the situation in Yugoslavia. They emphasized the need for Christians in Europe to help restore the ruined country and reconcile the antagonistic parties.

In the evening, Metropolitan Kirill was invited for supper by the Primate of the Church of Norway, Bishop Gunnar Staalsett of Oslo. In a frank talk, they emphasized the traditionally friendly relations between the two Churches and expressed mutual desire to develop and strengthen cooperation in humanitarian service.

On June 29, His Eminence Kirill paid a visit to the Norwegian Foreign Minister Knut Vollebek. They discussed the presence of the Russian Orthodox Church in Norway, the role of Churches in overcoming the crisis in Yugoslavia and relations between the Russian Orthodox Church and the OSCE.

On the same day, after a warm parting with the parishioners and the Russian ambassadorial staff who came to see him off, His Eminence Kirill left for Moscow.