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Traditional Paschal reception in the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs

24.04.2006 · Архив 2005-2009, События  

On 24 April 2006, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation gave a reception on the occasion of Orthodox Pascha in the MFA mansion. Attending the reception were His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Russia, hierarchs and clergymen of the Russian Orthodox Church, representatives of the Local Orthodox Churches, leaders of the major religious communities of Russia, Russian state and public figures and ambassadors of foreign countries.

Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs S.Lavrov greeted His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II and in his person all Orthodox believers of Russia with Pascha and noted with appreciation that such meetings have become a good tradition.

Russian foreign minister highly appreciated the growing cooperation between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Moscow Patriarchate and noted an initiative of Patriarch Alexy II and leaders of the traditional religious communities of Russia to hold the World Summit of religious leaders in Moscow early in July.

S. Lavrov welcomed the discussion of human rights by the Russian Orthodox Church resulting in the Declaration on Human Rights and Dignity adopted by the Jubilee World Russian People’s Council.

His Holiness Patriarch Alexy greeted all those present with the radiant feast of the Resurrection of Christ and thanked S. Lavrov and in his person the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for hospitality. His Holiness highly appreciated cooperation between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Russian foreign ministry in the defending the rights of our compatriots abroad, first of all in the CIS territory, as well as in preserving Russian cultural heritage abroad.