Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk meets with Chaplain to St Andrew’s Anglican Church

On 24 December 2014, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations (DECR), received the Revd. Clive Fairclough, Chaplain to St Andrew’s Anglican Church in Moscow, appointed by Archbishop Justin Welby last August. They were joined in the meeting, which took place at the DECR premises, by hieromonk Stefan (Igumnov), DECR secretary for inter-Christian relations, and deacon Dimitry Korneyev, a DECR staff member.

The Revd. Clive Fairclough described the life of the Anglican community in Moscow, noting in particular that the only St Andrew’s Church in Moscow is unique for Russia.

Discussed were relations between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Church of England. Metropolitan Hilarion wished his guest success in his new ministry and noted that he was appointed to Moscow at a difficult time for the dialogue between the two Churches due to the recent resolution of the General Synod of the Church of England to allow women to become bishops.