DECR chairman meets with deputy head of the First European Department of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs

On 21 June 2017, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations, met with Mr. Leonid Kadyshev, deputy director of the First European Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation. They were joined in the meeting by Bishop Antony of Bogorodsk, head of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Administration for Institutions Abroad, and Deacon Andrei Titushkin, a staff member of the DECR Secretariat for Far-Abroad Countries.

Metropolitan Hilarion welcomed the diplomat to the Synodal institution responsible for external contacts of the Russian Church.

Mr. Kadyshev congratulated the archpastor on the 30^th anniversary of his ordination.

Metropolitan Hilarion and his guest discussed the participation of the Russian Orthodox Church in the life of the Russian compatriots residing in Western Europe. The representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry noted the importance of enhancing church life of the Russian diaspora in the EU countries.

The participants in the meeting outlined further steps in promoting cooperation between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

DECR Communication Service