On November 2, with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk, Chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate's Department for External Church Relations, arrived in Israel on a working visit. This is reported on the website of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate of the Russian Orthodox Church.
On November 3, His Beatitude Theophilus III, Patriarch of the Holy City of Jerusalem and All Palestine, received the DECR Chairman at the Jerusalem Patriarchate.
During the long conversation, which took place in a warm and trusting atmosphere, the topics of the pan-Orthodox agenda and other issues of mutual interest were touched upon. In particular, the parties discussed the situation of Christians in the Middle East, as well as prospects for the development of cooperation between the two Churches.
Russian Russian Orthodox Archbishop Aristarchus of Constantinople, Head of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission in Jerusalem Archimandrite Alexander (Elisov), Advisor to the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Archpriest Nikolai Balashov, Acting Deputy Chairman of the DECR Archpriest Igor Yakimchuk, Assistant to the DECR Chairman Priest Alexander Ershov, Executive Director of the Foundation for the Support of Christian Culture and Heritage E.I. Skopenko, members of the Russian Spiritual mission in Jerusalem Abbot Nikon (Golovko), Hieromonk Dometian (Markarian) and Hieromonk Athanasius (Bukin).
At the end of the meeting, His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilus and Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk exchanged memorable gifts.