DECR Chairman Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad arrives in Rome

Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate Department for External Church Relations, arrived in Rome on April 6, 2005. He led a delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church to the funeral ceremony for the Pope of Rome John Paul II, planned for April 8. The delegation included Rev. Igor Vyzhanov, acting DECR secretary for inter-Christian relations, and Hieromonk Philip (Vasiltzev) of the church of St. Nicholas the Wonder-Worker in Rome.

Soon after his arrival in the capital of Italy, Metropolitan Kirill visited St. Peter’s Cathedral in the Vatican where the body of John Paul II was laid in state for the clergy and faithful to pay him their last respect.

Later His Eminence visited the construction sight of an Orthodox church of St. Catherine in the territory of the Russian Embassy at the Villa Abamelec which belongs to it.

In the evening, the eve of the Annunciation Day, Metropolitan Kirill officiated at the festive All-Night Vigil at the church of St. Nicholas the Wonder-Worker. After the service, he addressed the congregation, congratulating them warmly on the Day of the Annunciation and reminding them of the old Orthodox tradition to do the works of charity on this day. He also underlined the need for Christians to show charity for their neighbours throughout their lifetime. Metropolitan Kirill informed the congregation that he came to Rome with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Russia to represent the Russian Orthodox Church at the funeral service for the deceased Primate of the Roman Catholic Church. ‘The loss of the Head of a Church is always a wound for her faithful, because he is first of all a pastor. The departure of a pastor is taken hard by the faithful. Therefore we join the Catholics in their grief and express the most profound condolences to them’, His Eminence said.

On the same day, the Russian Ambassador to Italy, Mr. A. Meshkov, gave a dinner in honour of the Metropolitan Kirill.

Links:

• Metropolitan Kirill Sent His Condolences on the Demise of His Holiness John Paul II, the Pope of Rome
• His HolinessPatriarch Alexy Sent a Message of Condolences to the Vatican on the Demise of His Holiness John Paul II, the Pope of Rome
• A delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church expresses condolences to the Vatican representative in Russia
• A delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church attends the funeral ceremony for the Pope of Rome