His Holiness Patriarch Alexy Meets the Vice-Mayor of Tallinn Toomas Vitsut
1.10.2003 · English, Архив 2003
HIS HOLINESS PATRIARCH ALEXY MEETS THE VICE-MAYOR OF TALLINN TOOMAS VITSUT
On 30 September 2003 His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Russia met with the vice-mayor of the capital of Estonia Toomas Vitsut in the Tallinn town hall, which is the oldest building in the city and will mark its 600th anniversary next year.
T.Vitsut conveyed to His Holiness the greetings from the Mayor of Tallinn Edgar Savisaar, who is in hospital at present. On behalf of the Mayor T.Vitsut thanked the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church for his wishes of soonest recovery expressed during a telephone conversation with E.Savisaar.
The vice-mayor of the capital of Estonia greeted His Holiness Patriarch Alexy and said: ‘The inhabitants of Tallinn remember that even being far away from your Motherland You have offered up prayers for your fellow-countrymen, for peace and accord in the land of Estonia’.
T.Vitsut presented His Holiness with an album with pictures of the Tallinn churches to remember his visit to Tallinn.
His Holiness the Patriarch thanked the office of the Mayor for its assistance in the solution of the property problems of the Estonian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate, and, in particular, for giving land for the construction of the church in Lasnamjae.
His Holiness the Patriarch noted that a lot has been done in Estonia recently for the harmonization of relations between the Church and the State and said: ‘We are happy that the Estonian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate has been registered and we hope that other problems of the Orthodox people in Estonia will also be solved’.
T.Vitsut assured His Holiness that city authorities support an idea of the construction of the church in Lasnamjae and said: ‘Spirituality set in there where a church stands, while bitterness and crime recede’.
His Holiness regretted that he could not meet Edgar Savisaar, with whom he has maintained good relations.
The Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church gave the vice-mayor of Tallinn an ‘Orthodoxy in Tallinn’ book, which he has begun to write when a priest, souvenirs and an album issued for the 40th anniversary of his episcopal consecration.
That same day His Holiness Patriarch Alexy met with the members of the Estonian Council of Churches. Chairman of the Council, Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church E.Soone addressed His Holiness with the words of greeting.
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