His Holiness Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia met with the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran

HIS HOLINESS PATRIARCH OF MOSCOW AND ALL RUSSIA MET WITH THE PRESIDENT OF THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN

His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Russia met with the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Seyed Mohammad Khatami, on March 12, at the patriarchal residence in St. Daniel’s monastery. Participating in the meeting were also Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad, chairman of the Department for External Church Relations, Archbishop Arseny of Istra, Bishop Alexy of Orekhovo-Zuevo, and a group of the Russian Orthodox clergy.

Addressing the President of Iran, His Holiness Patriarch Alexy said: “I am delighted to welcome the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Seyed Mohamad Khatami, to St. Daniel’s monastery, one of the spiritual centers of Russian Orthodoxy. I hope that this meeting will contribute to the development of dialogue and cooperation between our two nations, each of which has an old history. With interest and satisfaction we learn about the revival of the religious life of Iranian Moslems. The revival of faith and devotion is going on in Russia as well, just as in other countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States, where the flock of the Moscow Patriarchate lives”.

Speaking about the revival of religious life in our country, His Holiness dwelt on the subject of church-state relations. The Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church stressed that “the state, respecting the religious choice of its citizens, is called to build its policy on the basis of this choice. We seek full-scale church-state partnership in dealing with a whole number of issues so that the artificial barriers erected under the dominant state atheism may be removed. We are glad that the state leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran is an active advocate of dialogue between civilizations. Our church shares the conviction that the globalization processes should not be accompanied with the dictate of one culture, one political or economic system, or one worldview. We do not accept the expansion of dubious achievements of the Western mass culture into our society, all the more so alien religious influences. Only the free development of every nation, only the unrestricted influence of every historically established civilization on the destiny of the world, can prevent a global conflict and help heal local conflicts.

“In this knowledge, we express our readiness to continue and develop dialogue with Iranian public and religious leaders. We can join our efforts especially in such areas as impact on the development of international law, study of models of relationship between religion, state and society, and participation in overcoming conflict situations, in particular, in the Middle East and the Balkans”.

His Holiness also expressed satisfaction with the fact that dialogue between religious communities in our two countries became already a reality. He also thanked the Iranian leadership for attention to the needs of the Moscow Patriarchate parish in Iran.

Speaking in response, the President of Islamic Republic of Iran said that “what the contemporary world needs first of all is spirituality, and the source of spirituality is divine religions. The world needs religion, which in its turn should seek a better knowledge of the world around it, so that it may give answers to the pressing problems posed by the present. Humanity needs justice, freedom and progress. Religion is first of all a language of friendship. At a time when there is so much bloodshed and enmity, we should show mercy and religious friendship. We should love all and each person. We should declare that bloodshed and war are inadmissible, especially when these occur in the name of religion. The basic idea of the partnership of civilizations is dialogue, instead of sabers and swords, dialogue between religions. The pivot of dialogue between religions is the Word of God. If we understand divine words correctly, there will be no differences or conflicts.

“I appreciate His Holiness the Patriarch’s efforts which have already contributed to the eliminations of conflicts in Russia and elsewhere in the world. And I note with satisfaction his contribution to the prosperity of Russia and the world. I will keep warm memories of today’s meeting in my heart”.