DECR Chairman meets with the Prime Minister of Montenegro

On 21 July 2011, Metropolitan Hilarion, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations, completed his working visit to Montenegro by meeting with the Prime Minister Igor Lukšić at the House of Montenegro Government.

Metropolitan Amfilohije of Montenegro and Primorje, Ambassador A. Nesterenko of Russia to Montenegro, and members of the delegation who accompanies Metropolitan Hilarion, attended the meeting.

Metropolitan Hilarion conveyed best wishes and greetings of Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia to Prime Minister Lukšić with his appointment head of the government and noted that first steps in the forming of a new state are a constructive period and said: “You are laying the foundations of your state, and it is very important to lay proper emphasis. Your state adheres to the principle of separation of the church from the state. You have the multi-ethnical population, but the majority belongs to the Orthodox Church.”

President Lukšić said that St. Peter of Cetinje was the church and state head of Montenegro three hundred years ago. He initiated the establishment of political relations with Russia. This fact testifies to the close relations between the ecclesiastical and secular power in Montenegro. Today the Church is separated from the state, but plays an important part in society.

Metropolitan Hilarion presented President Lukšić with a folding icon and his book

‘The Mystery of Faith” in the Serbian language.

After the meeting, the DECR chairman visited the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Montenegro and gave a press conference at PR press centre.

That same day Metropolitan Hilarion left for Moscow. He was seen off by Metropolitan Amfilohije and Ambassador A. Nesterenko.