A summary report about 4th day events- in the…

The irenic visit of His Beatitude Patriarch to the Patriarchate of Moscow and all Russia”- a report about 4th day events- in the evening.

 

At the evening, the Antiochian delegation visited the church of “Mother of God- the Joy of the Sorrowful”, pastored by His Eminence Hilarion Alfeyev, Metropolitan of Volokolamsk, head chief of the external affairs department at the Patriarchate of Moscow.

This church is considered one of the most famous churches in Moscow, built on 1792. This church has the very well-known miraculous icon “Mother of God- the Joy of the Sorrowful” whose day we celebrate on 06 November, when believers come from everywhere in order to get its blessings.

When Patriarch John X and the Antiochian delegation arrived, they have been received by Metropolitan Hillarion, entered the church, they kneeled before the icon, kissed and were blessed by it.

Later mutual speeches have been made by the Patriarch and the Metropolitan, emphasizing the necessity of continuing the cooperation in the favor of Orthodoxy and the Christian interests in the world.

After that the metropolitan offered His Beatitude an ancient icon of the “Mother of God - the Joy of the Sorrowful”. His Beatitude, by his turn, offered His Eminence a pastoral staff handmade from Damascus.

This meeting in the church was followed by a dinner, held by Metropolitan Hilarion, in honor of the Patriarch and his delegation, where they discussed different issues related to both Churches, and the state of Orthodoxy in today’s world.