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On 18 May 2018, with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations, arrived in Poland. At the residence of Primates of the Polish Orthodox Church, the DECR chairman met with His Beatitude Metropolitan Sawa of Warsaw and All Poland.

Discussed during the meeting were various issues on the pan-Orthodox agenda, prospects of cooperation between the Russian and the Polish Orthodox Churches, and inter-Christian relations.

Taking part in the meeting were also Bishop Paul of Hajnówka (Polish Orthodox Church); Archpriest Igor Yakimchuk, DECR secretary for inter-Orthodox relations; and Mr. Alexander Yershov, secretary to the DECR chairman.

On May 19, Metropolitan Hilarion participated in the first Liturgy in the Church of the Holy Wisdom in Warsaw, which is under construction. His Beatitude Metropolitan Sawa officiated at the divine service. Concelebrating with the Primate of the Polish Church were Archbishop Job of Telmessos (Patriarchate of Constantinople); all hierarchs of the Polish Orthodox Church; Bishop Diodor of Yuzhnoye, vicar of the Odessa diocese; Archpriest Igor Yakimchuk, DECR secretary for inter-Orthodox relations; and numerous Polish clergy. Present in the church were representatives of the Catholic Church in Poland, local authorities and the diplomatic corps.

After the Divine Liturgy, His Beatitude Metropolitan Sawa of Warsaw and All Poland warmly greeted the worshippers, noting that the Church of the Holy Wisdom is being built to commemorate the hierarchs, clergymen and laypeople of the Polish Orthodox Church who endured various ordeals that befell the Polish Orthodoxy in the 20th century. Metropolitan Sawa thanked the builders, the benefactors and all those who had contributed to the construction of this memorial church. Archbishop Job of Telmessos greeted all those present on behalf of His Holiness Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople. Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk read out a message of greetings from His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia on the occasion of the 80th birthday of His Beatitude Metropolitan Sawa and the 20th anniversary of his enthronement to the Primatial See of the Polish Orthodox Church.

Later a rite of blessing the cross for the dome of the Church of the Holy Wisdom was performed. After that the cross was elevated and installed.

The Liturgy was followed by a reception, during which Metropolitan Hilarion on behalf of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill presented His Beatitude Metropolitan Sawa with a high award of the Russian Orthodox Church – Order of St. Seraphim of Sarov, 1st class – for his outstanding contribution to the promotion of relationships between the Russian and the Polish Orthodox Churches, and on the occasion of his 80th birthday and the 20th anniversary of his Primatial enthronement.

DECR Communication Service