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On 30 September 2011, the DECR chairman Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, currently on a visit to Milan with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, met with the Archbishop of Milan Cardinal Angelo Scola.

While greeting the high guest, Cardinal Scola noted the importance of cooperation among Christians for meeting the challenges of militant secularism and expressed his willingness to render necessary assistance to the parishes of the Moscow Patriarchate in Milan in arranging their life.

Metropolitan Hilarion spoke of cooperation among the churches in the field of culture, mentioning a concert in the Basilica of Santa Maria delle Grazie performed as a part of the Year of Russian Culture and Language in Italy as a remarkable event.

Cardinal Scola and Metropolitan Hilarion also spoke of the preparation for the 1700th anniversary of the Edict of Milan due to be celebrated in 2013. The DECR chairman noted that the jubilee would draw attention of the world public and of political leaders to the problem of discrimination of Christians in different countries of the world.

Also taking part in the talk were archpriest Dmitry Sizonenko, DECR secretary for Inter-Christian relations; hieromonk Antoniy (Sevryuk), rector of the stavropegic Church of St. Catherine in Rome and secretary of the Moscow Patriarchate parishes in Italy; hieromonk Giovanni (Guaita), a DECR staff member; and hierodeacon Ioann (Kopeikin), assistant to the DECR chairman.