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On March 7, 2016, His Holiness Neophyte, Patriarch of Bulgaria, began his visit to the Russian Orthodox Church.

The delegation accompanying His Holiness includes Metropolitan Anthony of Western and Central Europe, Bishop Gregory of Branica, vicar of the Metropolia of Sofia; Archimandrite Gerasim (Georgiev), general secretary of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church Holy Synod; Archimandrite Dionisiy (Mishev), chairman of the church council of the St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in Sofia, Mr. T. Atanasov, head of the patriarchal office; Mr. A. Mladenov, Metropolia of Sofia executive secretary; Mr. Z. Kynev, Metropolia of Sofia technical secretary; and Ms. Karamihaleva, head of the synodal public relations department. Among those who have arrived in Moscow is also Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, head of the Bulgarian Royal House. Among those who accompany Patriarch Neophyte are also Archimandrite Philip (Vasiltsev), rector of the Sofia representation of the Russian Orthodox Church, and Ms. Ye. Milenova, Sofia representative of the International Foundation of the Unite of Orthodox Nations.

At Sheremetyevo airport the Primate of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church was met by Metropolitan Hilarion, head of the Moscow Patriarchate department for external church relations (DECR), Bishop Tikhon of Podolsk, Archpriest Nikolay Balashov, DECR vice-chairman, Archimandrite Feoktist (Dimitrov), representative of the Patriarch of Bulgaria to the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, Hegumen Feofan (Lukyanov), DECR protocol service, Archpriest Igor Yakimchuk, DECR secretary for inter-Orthodox relations, and Moscow clergy.

Among the welcoming party were also Mr. Boiko Kocev, Bulgaria’s ambassador to Russia, and Mr. V. Alekseyev, president of the International Public Foundation of the Unity of Orthodox Nations.

The visit of His Holiness Patriarch Neophyte to the Russian Orthodox Church will last until March the 11th.

DECR Communication Service