A delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church attends the funeral ceremony for the Pope of Rome

A Russian Orthodox Church delegation led by Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate Department for External Church Relations, attended on April 8, 2005, the funeral ceremony for John Paul II the Pope of Rome.

The funeral service for the head of the Roman Catholic Church was held on the square in front of St. Peter’s Cathedral in Rome. The service was led by Cardinal Joseph Ratznger, dean of the College of Cardinals. The service was attended by high-ranking representatives of Christian Churches and various world religions, heads of states and governments, as well as numerous pilgrims, mostly from Poland. After the funeral service the body of John Paul II was buried in the crypt of St. Peter’s.

After the service, Metropolitan Kirill had a talk with Mr. M. Fradkov, Chairman of the Russian Federation Government, who led the Russian state delegation, and met with the Presidents of Azerbaijan and Latvia.

In the afternoon, representatives of Churches and international Christian organizations, who came to Rome for the funeral of the Pope of Rome, were welcomed by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger.

The Moscow Patriarchate delegation also included Archbishop Mitrofan of Pereyaslav-Khmelnitsky of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, Rev. Igor Vyzhanov, acting DECR secretary for inter-Christian relations, and Hieromonk Philip (Vasiltsev). Present at the funeral service were also Rev. Alexy Baikov and Archdeacon Vsevolod Borzakovaky of the Russian Orthodox parish in Rome.

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
• DECR Chairman Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad arrives in Rome