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In the evening of May 23, His Holiness Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople visited the Church of All Saints in Kulishki, the representation of the Church of Alexandria in Moscow. Metropolitan Athanasios of Kyrenaika, representative of the Patriarch of Alexandria to the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia greeted the Primate of the Church of Constantinople.

His Holiness Patriarch Bartholomew was accompanied by Metropolitans Michael of Austria, Irinaios of Myriophyton and Peristasis, Emmanuel of France, general secretary of the Holy Synod archimandrite Elphidophoros (Lambriniadis), archimandrite Bessarion (Komzias), archdeacon Maximos (Vgenopoulos), and others.

Taking part in the meeting were also Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, Chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations; Archbishop Nifon of Philippopolis, representative of the Patriarch of Antioch to the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia; archimandrite Stephanos (Dispirakis), representative of the Patriarch of Jerusalem to the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia; DECR deputy chairman archpriest Nikolai Balashov, and Ambassador of Greece to Russia M. Spinnelis.

Many parishioners came to the church to greet the Patriarch of Constantinople.

Metropolitan Athanasios of Kyrenaika thanked His Holiness Patriarch Bartholomew for his visit to the Moscow Representation of the Orthodox Church of Alexandria and expressed joy over this event on behalf of the Greek community. Metropolitan Athanasios thanked His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia who blessed this meeting and conveyed greetings from His Beatitude Patriarch Theodore of Alexandria to Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople, presenting him with a panagia and saying, ‘Your visit is a pledge of love and confirmation of the indissoluble unity of the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church.’

The Primate of the Orthodox Church of Constantinople said in his speech that the Patriarchates of Constantinople and Alexandria are linked by the ancient strong and indissoluble ties. “These are ties of the one faith, tradition, liturgical practice, spirituality, ecclesiastical ethos and thoughts, sacred experience and God-inspired witness, as well as one cultural foundation. However, we remain independent in administrative matters and keep our canonical rights.”

His Holiness Patriarch Bartholomew remarked that he had cooperated in fraternal spirit with the last Primates of the Church of Alexandria – Nicholas, Parthenios and Peter and cherished their memory.

The Primate of the Orthodox Church of Constantinople asked Metropolitan Athanasios of Kyrenaika to convey his heartfelt greetings and best wishes to His Beatitude Patriarch of Alexandria. He underscored that the presence of the Representation of the Church of Alexandria in Moscow testifies to good relations between the Church of Alexandria and the Holy Russian Church. “We pray for the Representation to remain a bright beacon of the great tradition of the See of St. Mark and a place for cooperation between the two Churches for the good of the entire Orthodoxy,” said His Holiness Patriarch Bartholomew in conclusion.