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On Sunday, May 14, the Chairman of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate, His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokalamsk visited the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Washington, DC where he met with Ambassador Sergey Ivanovich Kislyak.
Also taking part in the meeting was the Administrator of the Patriarchal Parishes in the USA, His Grace Bishop John of Naro-Fominsk; Vice-rector for Academic affairs of the Sts Cyril and Methodius’ Church Post-Graduate and Doctoral School in Moscow, Hieromonk Ioann (Kopeikin); F.V. Champion, member of the DECR secretariat for inter-Christian relations and the First-Secretary of the Russian Embassy to the United States Igor Shaktar-ool.
During the conversation, a wide range of issues of mutual interest was discussed. Metropolitan Hilarion shared with Sergey Kislyak his impressions of the World Summit in Defense of Persecuted Christians that concluded the evening prior, stressing the importance of coordinated actions by the Russian Federation and the United States in the fight against terrorism. It is only through the joint efforts that the unprecedented genocide of Christians and other religious minorities that have unfolded in the Middle East, Africa and Asia, can be stopped.
Sergey Ivanovich also stressed the importance of joint action by representatives of Christian Churches in the provision of humanitarian assistance to those affected by terrorism in the Middle East.
DECR Communications
