Primate of the Orthodox Church of Alexandria arrives in Moscow

On 20 January 2012, His Beatitude Patriarch Theodoros II of Alexandria and All Africa arrived in Moscow. Accompanying him on his visit are archimandrite Panteleimon Arathymos, secretary of the Holy Synod of the Patriarchate of Alexandria, and archimandrite Leonid (Gorbachev), representative of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia to the Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa.
The Primate of the Orthodox Church of Alexandria was met at the Domodedovo airport by Metropolitan Juvenaly of Krutitsy and Kolomna; Metropolitan Athanasios of Kyrenaika, representative of the Patriarch of Alexandria to the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia; Archbishop Arseny of Istra; Moscow clerics; and also by Mohamed Elhadidi, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Arab Republic of Egypt to the Russian Federation; Michael Spinellis, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Greece to the Russian Federation; Valery Alexeev, President of the International Foundation for the Unity of Orthodox Christian Nations (IFUOCN).
The Primate of the Orthodox Church of Alexandria was awarded the IFUOCN prize of 2011 ‛For the Outstanding Activity in Strengthening Unity of Orthodox Christian Nations and for Consolidation and Promotion of Christian values in the Life of Society.‛ He will receive the prize during the ceremony at the Moscow Cathedral of Christ the Saviour on January 21, 2012.
Metropolitan Juvenaly of Krutitsy and Kolomna greeted His Beatitude Patriarch Theodoros and noted the importance of his work for the strengthening of inter-Orthodox relations.
The Primate of the Orthodox Church of Alexandria expressed his joy over his coming to the Russian capital and mentioned that his first visit to Moscow took place twenty-eight years ago.