Patriarch Diodoros of Jerusalem of All Palestine supporting the transfer of the monastery in Jericho to the Moscow Patriarchate

PATRIARCH DIODOROS OF JERUSALEM OF ALL PALESTINE SUPPORTING THE TRANSFER OF THE MONASTERY IN JERICHO TO THE MOSCOW PATRIARCHATE

On January 31, 2000, the chairman of the Department for External Church Relations, Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad, met with His Beatitude Patriarch Diodoros I of the Holy City of Jerusalem and All Palestine. Participating in the meeting was also achimandrite Theodosius, head of the Russian Orthodox Mission in Jerusalem.

They discussed problems involved in the need for the administration of the Palestine Autonomy to transfer the monastery in Jericho, illegally held by the Church Abroad, to the Moscow Patriarchate. Patriarch Diodoros unambiguously spoke for the need to overcome as soon as possible the schism between the Church Abroad and the Moscow Patriarchate and supported the transfer of the plot to its legitimate owner.

His Beatitude Patriarch Diodoros stated his desire to visit the above-mentioned plot of land to give his patriarchal blessing to the clergy of the Russian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate serving there.