Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk arrives on Mount Athos
On 13 February 2014, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations, arrived on the Holy Mountain of Athos.
On the first day of the pilgrimage, Metropolitan Hilarion and his suite visited the New Thebaid hermitage of the Russian Monastery of St Panteleimon and met with its brethren.
After that the DECR chairman visited the Hermitage of St Andrew, where he venerated a particle of the apostle’s holy relics and met with the father superior.
That same day Metropolitan Hilarion visited the Transfiguration cell in Karyes, the capital of Athos, and met with Fr Joseph, head of the Pilgrims’ centre of the New Esfigmenou.
In the evening of February 13, the pilgrims arrived in the Iveron Monastery.
Accompanying Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk are deacon Alexander Karzan, secretary to the DECR chairman, and students of the Theological Institute for Post-Graduate Studies, Hierodeacons Grigoriy (Sokolov) and Nikolai (Ono).