DECR chairman meets with Finland’s ambassador to Russia

On March 18, 2014, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s department for external church relations, met with Finland’s ambassador to Russia, Mr. Hannu Himanen. Present were also Hieromonk Stephan (Igumnov), DECR secretary for inter-Christian relations, Mr. Turo Mattila, Finnish embassy’s second secretary, and Hierodeacon Alexiy (Vishnevsky) of the DECR secretariat for inter-Christian relations.

 

Metropolitan Hilarion welcomed Mr. Hannu Himanen to the department, pointing to the warm cooperation traditionally existing between the Moscow Patriarchate and Finland. The talk concerned the present state and development of church-state relations in Russia and Finland and prospects for the development of dialogue between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Finland. Metropolitan Hilarion noted that traditional Christian values are in crisis in Europe today and the stand taken by Christian Churches in Finland with regard to the protection of Christian morality is important for the Russian Orthodox Church.

 

DECR Communication Service