Print This Post

An international conference on “The human and existential periphery in the light of the Gospel. Orthodox and Catholics on the way of charity” was held on March 21, 2014 in Rome. It was organized by the Community of St. Egidio, a Catholic association of the laity. It was already the fourth conference on Christian social service, with the fist symposia held in 2010 and 2011 in Rome and the third in 2012 in the Church of Christ the Saviour in Moscow.

With the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, the conference was attended by Metropolitan Juvenaly of Krutitsy and Kolomna, who made a report on the social service of the Moscow Diocese. Metropolitan Juvenaly was accompanied by Archpriest Dimitry Olovyannikov, chairman of the Moscow Diocese’s department for social service and charity, and Rev. Alexiy Dikarev.

The Moscow Patriarchate was also represented by Bishop Panteleimon of Orekhovo-Zuevo, chairman of the Synodal Department for Church Charity and Social Service, Bishop Iona of Obukhovo, vicar of the Kiev Diocese of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, Archpriest Alexander Stepanov, chairman of the St. Petersburg diocesan department for charity, and Archpriest Pavel Valikanov, associate professor, Moscow Theological Academy.

The Roman Catholic side included Cardinal Francesco Coccopalmerio, president of the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts, Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia, president of the Pontifical Council for the Family and spiritual director of the St. Egidio Community, Prof. Andrea Riccardi, founder of the Community of St. Egidio, and Prof. Marco Impagliazzo, president of the Community of St. Egidio.

Present at the sessions were also A. Avdeyev, Russia’ ambassador to the Holy See, and Archimandrite Anthony (Sevryuk), secretary of the Moscow Patriarchate Parishes in Italy.

 

DECR Communication Service