Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk completes his working visit to Estonia

On 18 March 2012, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations, met with Metropolitan Kornily of Tallinn and All Estonia at the Chancellery of the Estonian Orthodox Church. Metropolitan Hilarion visited Estonia with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia.
After the meeting, the hierarchs went to the concert of religious music at the “Estonia” Concert Hall. Metropolitan Hilarion’s “St Matthew Passions” Oratorio was performed by the Estonian State Symphony Orchestra, Estonian National Male Choir, and the Estonian Concert Choir. Conducting was Russia’s Honoured Artist Alexei Puzakov. Attending the concert were Bishop Lazar of Narva and Prichudje; Metropolitan Stephanos, head of the church structure of the Patriarchate of Constantinople in Estonia; Bishop Elias of Tartu, Patriarchate of Constantinople in Estonia; Archbishop Andres Põder, Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church; representatives of Christian confessions in Estonia; H.E. Yuri Merzlyakov, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to the Republic of Estonia; diplomats and representatives of the Estonian public, political and cultural circles.
On 19 March 2012, the DECR chairman met with Siim Kiisler, Estonian Minister for Regional Affairs. They were joined at the meeting by Metropolitan Kornily of Tallinn and All Estonia, Russian Ambassador to Estonia Yu. Merzlyakov, DECR secretary for inter-Orthodox relations archpriest Igor Yakimchuk, and archpriest Foma Khirvoya, a cleric of the Estonian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate. Discussed was the return of property to the Estonian Orthodox Church.
That same day Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk and his suite left Tallin for Riga. At the airport he was seen off by Metropolitan Kornily of Tallinn and All Estonia, Bishop Lazar of Narva and Prichudje, and Russian Ambassador Yu. Merzlyakov.