DECR chairman meets with Albanian ambassador to Russia
On July 12, 2018, 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), had a meeting at the CMI with the Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of the Republic of Albania to the Russian Federation, Mr. ArbenGazioni.
They were joined in their talk by Deacon Andrey Titushkin, DECR secretariat for the far abroad.
His Eminence Hilarion welcomed the head of the Albanian diplomatic mission in Russia to the higher education institution engaged in training academic cadre for the development of theology and administrative work in institutions of the Russian Orthodox Church.
The sides summed up the visit made by His Holiness Kirill, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, onApril 29-30, 2018, to Albania. Metropolitan Hilarion conveyed through the Albanian high-ranking diplomat the words of gratitude to the Albanian authorities and people for the warm welcome accorded to Patriarch Kirill during his trip to Albania. Mr. Gazioni, in his turn, stressed the special significance that the first ever visit of the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church to the Albaniahad for the Albanian leadership and public.
They also discussed the developing Russian-Albanian ecclesial, cultural and educational relations and shared their experience of peaceful co-existence of traditional religious communities in Russia and Albania.
In conclusion, His Eminence Hilarion presented the guest with a token of the meeting.
DECR Communication Service