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On January 20, 2017, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, head of the Moscow Patriarchate department for external church relations (DECR) and rector of the Ss Cyril and Methodius Institute of Post-Graduate Studies (CMI), met with the chairman of the Imperial Orthodox Palestine Society (IOPS) S. Stepashin, at the CMI.

Participating in the meeting was also the IOPS vice-chair Ms. Ye. Agapova.

During the meeting, which was held in a friendly atmosphere, Metropolitan Hilarion and Mr. Stepashin discussed the cooperation between the IOPS and the Russian Orthodox Church in implementing humanitarian and educational projects in the Middle East countries.

Ms. Agapova informed His Eminence about the initiatives taken by the society for protecting Christians in the Middle East and North Africa.

Metropolitan Hilarion thanked Mr. Stepashin for accepting the leadership of the Board of Patrons of the Interreligious Council in Russia.

His Eminence also supported the IOPS’s intention to attend the international conference for protecting Christians to take place in March in Geneva with the participation of the Moscow Patriarchate and the Holy See.

CMI Press Service

DECR Communication Service