On January 17, 2022, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, Chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate's Department for External Church Relations, met with Gordan Grlich-Radman, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of the Republic of Croatia.
The meeting was also attended by: from the Croatian side – Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Croatia to Russia Tomislav Tsar, Secretary of the Cabinet of Ministers Lara Romano, Head of the Eurasia and Oceania Sector of the Croatian Foreign Ministry Dunja Sichaya, Press Secretary of the Minister Lovorka Shimichevich; from the Department of External Church Relations – Secretary for Foreign Affairs Archpriest Sergiy Zvonarev and employee of the Secretariat for Foreign Affairs Priest Andrey Titushkin.
Metropolitan Hilarion welcomed the head of the Croatian Foreign Ministry to the synodal institution that carries out international relations of the Russian Orthodox Church. He told the guest about the Department's work agenda, which includes interaction with Local Orthodox Churches, non-Orthodox denominations, traditional religious communities, foreign countries, as well as relations with compatriots living abroad.
Mr. Grlich-Radman, for his part, welcomed the archpastor and asked him to convey his gratitude to His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia for the warm words of condolences in connection with the earthquake that occurred in Croatia at the end of 2020.
The DECR Chairman told the high-ranking diplomat about the relations between the Russian and Serbian Orthodox Churches, including on the territory of Croatia. Metropolitan Hilarion expressed deep satisfaction with the fact that the Russian Church can take part in the restoration of Orthodox churches in Croatia affected by the earthquake.
During the conversation, the participants touched upon the topic of support for Middle Eastern Christians, and also discussed issues of mutual interest.