Moscow Patriarchate representative to Patriarch of Antioch meets with Syria’s Grand Mufti

The representative of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia to the Patriarch of Great Antioch and All the East, Hegumen Arseny Sokolov, met with the Grand Mufti of the Syrian Arab Republic Ahmad Badreddin Hassoun, on July 17 in Damascus.

In attendance from the Russian side were Vladimir Titov, president of the Socio-Political Initiative Foundation, and Ms Nelli Kuskova of the Committee for Solidarity with the Peoples of Syria and Libya. The Syrian side was represented by members of the Syrian Muftiate.

They discussed the humanitarian aid to the Syrian people including organization of Russian holidays for children of servicemen who died in Syria in the course of the armed conflict and for inmates of the Orthodox orphanages in the Valley of Christians near Latakia and at the convent in the Maalula village.

Holidays in Russia for 86 Syrian orphans are organized this August at one of the recreation centers for children of the Russian Railways workers near Moscow. All the expenses are assumed by the St. Andrew-the-First-Called Foundation (its Broad of Trustees is chaired by V. Yakunin).

After the meeting with the Grand Mufti, Father Arseny and the Russian delegates were received by the acting Minister of Social Affairs, Ms. Kinda al-Shammat.