Delegation of the Coptic Church headed by Patriarch Tawadros II visit St. Petersburg

On November 1-2, 2014, the delegation of the Coptic Church headed by His Holiness Patriarch Tawadros II visited St. Petersburg. The high guests were met at Pulkovo airport by Bishop Nazary of Kronstadt, cleric of the St. Petersburg diocese, Governor Georgy Poltavchenko, and representatives of the city authorities, website of the St. Petersburg Metropolia reports.

The delegation proceeded to the Novodevichy Convent and met with Metropolitan Varsonofy of St. Petersburg and Lagoda. The Primate of the Coptic Church noted that he was happy to visit St. Petersburg for the first time and thanked the Metropolitan and the sisters for hospitality.

Metropolitan Varsonofy noted that the guests would visit magnificent churches and palaces in the cultural capital of Russia. A part of the churches is used together with the museums, and the state maintains them. The diocese must build new churches in residential areas accessible to the parishioners.

Metropolitan Varsonofy shared with the guests his reminiscences of the visit to Egypt where he was introduced to monastic life there.

While in the northern capital of Russia, the guests visited the Laura of St. Alexander Nevsky, the Kazan and St. Isaac’s cathedrals, other holy sites, the State Hermitage, Peterhof and Kronstadt.