DECR chairman meets with Bulgarian Ambassador to Russia

On 28 October 2015, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations (DECR), met with H.E. Boiko Kocev, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Bulgaria to the Russian Federation DECR. They were joined in the meeting by Ms Katia Zhekova, first secretary and tourism attaché of the Bulgarian Embassy; archpriest Sergy Zvonarev, DECR secretary for far abroad countries; and Ms Olga Mazur of the same secretariat.

Metropolitan Hilarion welcomed the high guest who thanked him for the meeting and presented the DECR chairman with the cross made in commemoration of the 1150^th anniversary of the baptism of Bulgaria.

Among the topics discussed topical issues of cooperation between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Bulgarian Embassy. Metropolitan Hilarion noted good relations between the Russian and Bulgarian Orthodox Churches.

They also discussed the problem of refugees from the Middle East and North Africa fleeing to the European countries, Bulgaria including, and the looming threats.