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Archpriest Nikolay Balashov, vice-chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s department for external church relations, attended the reception given by the Ukrainian embassy in Moscow on March 17, 2010, to bid farewell to Mr. Grischenko who completed his duty as Ukrainian Ambassador to Russia upon his appointment as foreign minister of Ukraine.

Father Nikolay conveyed to Mr. Grischenko best wishes from His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia and a message of congratulations upon his high appointment from Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s department for external church relations. He also thanked Mr. Grischenko as former ambassador for his constructive cooperation with the Moscow Patriarchate’s department for external church relations. Both expressed the conviction that this cooperation would be successfully continued for the benefit of the Ukrainian people and welfare of the Ukrainians who reside in other countries and consolidation of Ukraine’s friendly and good-neighbourly relations with neighbouring countries.

As a token, Father Nikolay presented the minister with an icon of the Most Holy Mother of God.

The reception was attended by Russian foreign minister deputy A. Denisov, Russian and Ukrainian diplomats and ambassadors of other countries as well as cultural figures and representative of the Russian public.

DECR Communication Service