Wolfgang Huber, Chairman of the Council of the Evangelical Church of Germany visits Moscow

Bishop Wolfgang Huber, Chairman of the Council of the Evangelical Church of Germany (EKD), visited Moscow at the invitation of His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Russian on 18-19 April 2005. His visit was made to coincide with the 60^th anniversary of the end of World War II and was connected with the regular round of theological talks between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Evangelical Church of Germany, which are being held at the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate and which are to be completed on 22 April 2005, at the Moscow Theological Academy.

Ms. Lubov Sliska, first deputy to the State Duma Chairman, received Bishop Wolfgang Huber on 18 April. They discussed events to take place in Russia and in Germany to mark the 60^th anniversary of the end of World War II and the role of religion in social life. Special attention was paid to the positive knowledge about religion to be given by the mass media and secular educational institutions in both countries. Lubov Sliska thanked Bishop Wolfgang Huber for the aid extended by the EKD to the victims of the terrorist attack in Beslan. Archpriest Vsevolod Chaplin, DECR MP Vice-Chairman, also attended the meeting.

In the evening, Mr. Hans-Friedrich von Plotz, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Federal Republic of Germany to the Russian Federation, gave dinner in honor of the delegations of the Russian Orthodox Church and the Evangelical Church of Germany. Among those present at the reception also were: Bishop W. Huber, Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad, DECR MP Chairman, and the participants in the theological talks headed by Metropolitan Herman of Volgograd and Kamyshin and Bishop Rolf Koppe.

Mr. Sergey Lavrov, Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation, received Bishop W. Huber on 19 April. They discussed the role of Christian Churches in global processes today, the Christian roots of the European civilization and the influence of this spiritual heritage on the life of Europe today. Among those who participated in the meeting were: Metropolitan Kirill, Metropolitan Herman, Bishop Rolf Koppe, Head of the EKD delegation, Archpriest Vsevolod Chaplin and Rev. Igor Vyzhanov, DECR MP Acting Secretary for Inter-Christian Relations.

On the same day His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Russia met with Bishop W. Huber at the Patriarchal and Synodal Residence in St. Daniel’s Monastery. Among the participants were: Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad, Metropolitan Herman of Volgograd and Kamyshin, Bishop Rolf Koppe and members of their delegations.

His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II prayed for the victims of World War II and proclaimed ‘Memory Eternal’ to them at the residential church in St. Daniel’s Monastery.

Then Bishop Huber and the German delegation also offered up their prayers for the dead.

During their talk at the residence’s hall, the parties exchanged speeches of greetings. In his speech His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II noted the long-standing good relations between the German Protestants and the Russian Orthodox Church. Concerning the history of the bilateral theological talks, His Holiness said that the first meetings between German and Russian theologians to be held after the war not only determined the further development of relation between Russian and German Christians but also made a great contribution to the improvement of relations between our two countries. Greeting the participants in the theological talks, His Holiness the Patriarch said that the common views of the faithful in both countries on the need to preserve traditional Christian morality would contribute to the improvement of the moral climate in Europe.

In his response, Bishop Huber also touched upon the history of mutual relations between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Evangelical Church of Germany and pointed to the importance of dialogue for reconciling the nations after the war. Speaking on the 60^th anniversary of the end of World War II, the bishop said that his compatriots are grateful to Russia for delivering them from nazism. The EKD Council head pointed out the great positive response that was aroused in Germany by the visit of His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II to Germany in 1995 during the celebrations devoted to the 50^th anniversary of the end of World War II.

Bishop Wolfgang Huber left Moscow in the afternoon on the same day.