Orthodox Churches

Patriarch Bartholomew arrives at Valamo Monastery of the Transfiguration

His Holiness Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople, during his official visit to the Russian Orthodox Church, arrived together with his delegation at the Valamo Monastery of the Holy Transfiguration, on May 27, 2010.

The Primate of the Orthodox Church of Constantinople was accompanied by Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, head of the Moscow Patriarchate's department for external church relations, Bishop Pankraty of Troitsk, abbot of the Valamo Monastery, Archpriest Nikolay Balashov, DECR vice-chairman, and Rev. Igor Yakimchuk, DECR secretary for inter-Orthodox relations.

His Holiness Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople arrives in St. Petersburg

On 27 May 2010, His Holiness Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople and his delegation arrived in St. Petersburg. The delegation consists of Metropolitans Michael of Austria, Irinaios of Myriophyton and Peristasis, Emmanuel of France, general secretary of the Holy Synod of the Patriarchate of Constantinople archimandrite Elphidophoros (Lambriniadis), Archimandrite Bessarion (Komzias), Archdeacon Maximos (Vgenopoulos), and other persons.

Primates of the Orthodox Churches of Constantinople and Russia celebrate on the Day of the Holy Spirit

On Saturday, May 22, 2010, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew arrived at the Vnukovo Airport in Moscow, Russia, where he was greeted by His Beatitude Patriarch Kyrill of Moscow and All Russia; Metropolitan Hilarion, Chairman of the Department of External Church Relations; together with other members of the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church, as well as clergy and faithful.

Metropolitan Hilarion leads worship at Shroud of Turin

Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, head of the Moscow Patriarchate's department for external church relations, who is on a visit to Italy with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, officiated at martins at the Shroud in the cathedral of Turin, on 17 May 2010.

The DECR chairman was assisted by Archbishop Feofan of Berlin and Germany, Archbishop Innokenty of Korsun, administrator of the Moscow Patriarchate parishes in Italy; Archbishops Kirill of Yaroslavl and Rostov, Feognost of Sergiev Posad and Yelisey of Surozh, as well as Bishop Michael of Geneva and Western Europe (Russian Church Outside Russia), about one hundred priests and deacons from Russia and countries of the far and near abroad.

Patriarch of Constantinople to visit Russia

Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople will visit Russia on May 22-31 at the invitation of Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia. Patriarch Bartholomew will visit Moscow, Sergiyev Posad, the Valaam Monastery and St. Petersburg.

Metropolitan Hilarion in Italy

Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, head of the Moscow Patriarchate's department for external church relations, arrived in Italy on 14 May 2010.

The welcoming party at the Bologna airport included Archimandrite Mark Davitti, rector of the ROC church of St. Basil the Great, Hegumen Philip Vasiltsev of the church of St. Catherine in Rome and Prof. Lino Britto of the University of Bologna.

Accompanied by Archimandrite Mark, Metropolitan Hilarion visited the church of St. Basil the Great, where he was given a warm welcome by the clergy and parishioners.