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On 10 December 2019, Archpriest Sergy Zvonarev, secretary for far abroad countries of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations (DECR), met with H.E. Branko Rakovec, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Slovenia to the Russian Federation, Mr. Saša Geržina, president of Slovenia-Russia Friendship Association, the fist Slovenia’s Ambassador to Russia, and Mr. Urban Ocvirk, general secretary of the Slovenia-Russia Friendship Association. Hieromonk Kirill (Peregudin), a staff member of the DECR secretariat for far abroad countries, attended the meeting that took place at the DECR premises.

Archpriest Zvonarev warmly greeted the guests and noted active development of fruitful cooperation between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Embassy of Slovenia in Russia in recent years.

Discussed during the talk held in friendly atmosphere were further cooperation between the Moscow Patriarchate and Slovenia in religious and cultural spheres, prospects of strengthening inter-Christian relations, and problems pertaining to pilgrimage. The participants in the meeting paid special attention to the preparation of an annual memorial ceremony on the Vršič Pass always timed to the anniversary of the foundation of the Russian Chapel of the Holy Prince Vladimir Equal-to-the-Apostles erected in commemoration of the Russian soldiers who had died there during the First World War.