Primate of the Orthodox Church of Alexandria completes his visit to Moscow

His Beatitude Patriarch Theodoros II of Alexandria and Al Africa completed his visit to Moscow on January 24th, 2012. Seeing him off at Domodedovo airport were Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations (DECR); Metropolitan Athanasios of Kyrenaika, representative of the Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa to the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia; Archbishop Arseniy of Istra; Bishop Tikhon of Podolsk, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Finance and Economics Management; archpriest Nikolai Balashov, DECR deputy chairman; archpriest Igor Yakimchuk, DECR secretary for inter-Orthodox relations; Rev. Mikhail Asmus, a DECR staff member; Prof. Valery Alexeyev, president of the International Foundation for the Unity of Orthodox Christian Nations; and Moscow clergymen.
His Beatitude Patriarch Theodoros visited Moscow on January 20-24 at the invitation of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill. On January 21, the Primate of the Church of Alexandria received the prize ‘For the Outstanding Activity in Strengthening Unity of Orthodox Christian Nations and for Consolidation and Promotion of Christian Values in the Life of Society” named after His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II. Earlier that day, he met with H.E. Michalis Spinelis, Ambassador of Greece to Russia. The delegation of the Patriarchate of Alexandria visited the stavropegic Convent of the Intercession and the Representation of the Church of Alexandria in Moscow – the Church of All Saints in Kulishki.
On Sunday, January 22, the commemoration day of St. Philip, Metropolitan of Moscow, His Beatitude Patriarch Theodoros II of Alexandria and All Africa, is Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, and His Beatitude Metropolitan Christopher of the Czech Lands and Slovakia celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour.
His Beatitude Patriarch Theodoros visited the Embassy of the Republic of Cyprus and met with H.E. Petros Kestoras, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of this country to the Russian Federation.
The Primate of the Church of Alexandria was welcomed at the Embassy of the Arab Republic of Egypt in Moscow, H. E. Dr. Alaa El Hadidi, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary.
The delegation led by His Beatitude visited stavropegic Donskoy Monastery and venerated the Don icon of the Mother of God and the relics of St. Tikhon, Patriarch of All Russia.
In conclusion of the visit, the Primates of the |Russian Orthodox Church and of the Orthodox Church of Alexandria had a brotherly talk at the residence of Patriarch Kirill.