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On 12 December 2010, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, head of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations, currently in Armenia with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia and at the invitation of His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, visited ancient Armenian monasteries.

Metropolitan Hilarion and his suite were accompanied by Bishop Ovakim, head of the Inter-Church Relations Department of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, and by Bishop Mark of Gegarkuni.

The delegation visited the Kecharis Monastery (12th c.) and the Gegard Cave Monastery (6th c.) founded by St. Gregory the Illuminator.

The guests also visited the Garni fortress complex with an ancient temple and the ruins of a Christian church, dating back to the early Middle Ages.