Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad visits Mozambique
20.03.2003 · English
METROPOLITAN KIRILL OF SMOLENSK AND KALININGRAD VISITS MOZAMBIQUE
A delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church led by Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad, chairman of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate, was on a visit to Mozambique from February 21 to 23, 2003.
Metropolitan Kirill took part in the solemn divine service at the Greek Orthodox church of St. Michael the Archangel of God in the center of the capital city of Mozambique. In his archpastoral address after the service, he informed the congregation that in response to the numerous requests coming from Russians living in that country the Supreme Authority of the Russian Orthodox Church decided to send a priest to Mozambique in the nearest future to take pastoral care of the Russian-speaking Orthodox parish on permanent basis. This has been already negotiated with the Patriarchate of Alexandria, which has Mozambique in its canonical territory.
Metropolitan Kirill also blessed the building of the Russian Embassy and visited the secondary school at the diplomatic mission, attended by children of Russian diplomats and our compatriots living in that country.
Metropolitan Kirill also met with members of the Russian community in Mozambique. His Eminence told them about the work carried out by the Russian Orthodox Church in today’s situation and about relations between Church and state in Russia and answered questions from compatriots. He presented the Russian Embassy in Mozambique with a small library of Orthodox literature.
In conclusion of his visit to Mozambique Metropolitan Kirill met with Mozambique state officials and religious leaders. During the talk, the mutual desire of both sides to develop mutually beneficial contacts both on inter-confessional level and the level of “people’s diplomacy” was affirmed.
See also: