Metropolitan Hilarion attends a meeting of the Joint Theological Commission for Orthodox-Catholic Dialogue’s drafting committee

Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, head of the Moscow Patriarchate’s department for external church relations, with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, attended a meeting of the drafting committee of the Joint Theological Commission for Dialogue between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church, which took place from June 15 to 17, 2011, in Rethymnon in the Island of Crete, Greece. The committee discussed theological and ecclesiological aspects of primacy and conciliarity in the Church.

The drafting committee is co-chaired by Metropolitan John of Pergamon (Patriarchate of Constantinople) and Cardinal Kurt Koch, president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity.

The Local Orthodox Churches were represented by Metropolitan Gennadios of Sassima (Patriarchate of Constantinople), Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, Bishop Ignatije of Branicevo (Serbian Orthodox Church), and Metropolitan Vasilios of Constantia-Ammochostos (Orthodox Church of Cyprus).

During his stay in Crete, the DECR chairman had talks with Metropolitan John of Pergamon, Archbishop Irenaios of Crete and Cardinal Kurt Koch.

On June 17, Metropolitan Hilarion and some other members of the drafting committee visited the Archdiocese of Crete in Heraklion and prayed at the shrines of the Cathedral of St. Minas.

DECR Communication Service