Metropolitan Hilarion begins his visit to Slovakia and Czechia

On December 6, 2011, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, head of the Moscow Patriarchate’s department for external church relations, arrived to Slovakia for the celebrations marking the 60^th anniversary of the Orthodox Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia, with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia and on the invitation of His Beatitude Metropolitan Christopher of the Czech Lands and Slovakia.

The welcoming party at the airport in Košice included Metropolitan Christopher, Russian Ambassador P. Kuznetsov, Archbishop George of Michalovce-Košice, Archpriest Ioann Shafin, dean of the faculty of Orthodox department at the University of Presov, and Archpriest Nikolay Lischenyuk, rector of the Russian Orthodox parish in Karlovy Vary.

The Primate of the Orthodox Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia gave dinner in honour of his guest.

During his stay in Slovakia, Metropolitan Hilarion plans to meet with Slovakian deputy prime minister J. Figel, to have a talk with the local clergy and to visit the University of Presov.

During his visit to Slovakia, Metropolitan Hilarion is accompanied by Archpriest Igor Yakimchuk, DECR secretary for inter-Orthodox relations, and Mr. L. Sevastyanov, executive director of the St. Gregory the Theologian Charity.

DECR Communication Service