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On 31 March 2011, Metropolitan Hilarion, head of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations, currently on a visit to the Serbian Orthodox Church at the invitation of His Holiness Patriarch Irinej of Serbia and with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, met with the President of the Republic of Serbia Boris Tadić at his resident in Belgrade.

They were joined in the meeting by His Holiness Patriarch Irinej of Serbia; Bishop Irinej of Bačka; Serbian Minister of Foreign Affairs Vuk Jeremić; Serbian Ambassador to Russia Jelica Kurjak; rector of the Russian Orthodox Metochion in Belgrade archpriest Vitaly Tarasjev; and DECR secretary for Inter-Orthodox relations Rev. Igor Yakimchuk.

The head of Serbia expressed his gratitude to the Russian Orthodox Church for support it has always given to the people of Serbia and the Serbian Orthodox Church, first of all in connection with the problem of Kosovo and Metochia. Metropolitan Hilarion assured President Tadić that the Russian Orthodox Church has always been and will be with the Serbian people and intend to help the monks of Serbian Church in the monasteries of the region.

The President of Serbia, who is the chairman of the Public Council for construction of the Cathedral of St. Sava, mentioned the interior decoration of the cathedral. The DECR chairman confirmed the willingness of the Russian Orthodox Church and the Russian business circles to take part in the project.

After the meeting, Metropolitan Hilarion and his suite went to the Cathedral of St. Sava to see its interior decoration.