Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk meets with Cypriot Ambassador

On 20^th February 2014, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations, met with H. E. Georgios Kasoulides, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Cyprus to the Russian Federation. They were joined in the meeting by the Revd. Mikhail Asmus of the DECR secretariat for inter-Orthodox relations; Ms Olga Mazur of the DECR Secretariat for far abroad countries; and Ms Maya Kislitsyna, a counsellor of the Embassy of Cyprus.

While greeting the high guest at the DECR premises, Metropolitan Hilarion noted the traditionally close relations between the Moscow Patriarchate and the Republic of Cyprus and described the relationship between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Orthodox Church of Cyprus and their opposition to the challenges of the contemporary secular world.

Ambassador Kasoulides thanked Metropolitan Hilarion for the meeting and assured him of the willingness of the Republic of Cyprus to develop contacts with the Moscow Patriarchate. He highly appreciated the assistance of the Russian Church rendered to the Greeks who are experiencing economic and social hardship.