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On June 5, 2018, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, met with the Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of the Hashemite State of Jordan to the Russian Federation, Mr. Amjad Adaile.

The meeting took place at the Patriarchal and Synodal Residence in the St. Daniel monastery in Moscow. Participating in it were also Archbishop Antoniy, head of the Moscow Patriarchate office for institutions abroad, Archimandrite Philaret (Bulekov), vice-chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate department for external church relations, and Mr. Mousatem al-Bashir, first secretary of the Embassy of Jordan.

In his talk with the head of the Jordanian diplomatic mission in Moscow, Patriarch Kirill noted that he had warm remembrances of this meeting with King Abdullah II ben al-Hussein of Jordan, which took place in February 14, 2018, in Moscow.

Stating that Jordan historically belongs to the territory called the Holy Land, His Holiness said, ‘For this reason we believe that Jordan, among other things, should be included in the pilgrimage routes for those who wish to come to the Holy Land. Motivated by precisely this understanding and perception of Jordan as part of the Holy Land, we have built a pilgrims’ house near the Jordan River in Jordan’.

The Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church also said that in Jordan there is a very high level of tolerance, as traditionally good relations between Christians and Muslims are maintained in the country, with the royal family encouraging the presence of Christian communities and organizations in the territory of the state.

‘I believe the religious communities both in Jordan and Russia can play a positive role in deepening good relations between our countries and peoples’, His Holiness said stressing in this context the importance of pilgrimage from Russia to the Holy Land including Jordan.

‘I hope that you, too, in fulfilling your lofty mandate in the territory of Russia, will help develop these relations in all possible ways’, His Holiness said addressing the ambassador.

Having thanked His Holiness for the possibility to meet, the diplomat conveyed to Patriarch Kirill best regards from King Abdallah II.

‘We invariably cherish the relations between Jordan and Russia’, Mr. Amjad Adaile said, noting also the importance of contacts with the Russian Orthodox Church.

Speaking about the situation in the Middle East, the ambassador said that his country ‘has always held her doors open for Christians from Iraq, Syria and other countries in which they are subjected to persecution and miseries’.

In conclusion of the talk in which they discussed matters of mutual concern the sides exchanged token of the meeting.

DECR Communication Service