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An online conference held by Commission on Dialogue between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Coptic Church

An online conference held by Commission on Dialogue between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Coptic Church
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24 December 2021 year 12:22

On December 24, 2021, an online conference was held by members of the Commission for Dialogue between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Coptic Church.

The Moscow Patriarchate was represented by Bishop Gennady of Kaskelen, co-chairman of the Commission; Hieromonk Stephan (Igumnov), DECR secretary for inter-Christian relations; and S. G. Aleferov, a DECR staff member. The Coptic Church was represented by Metropolitan Serapion of Los Angeles, co-chairman of the Commission and vicar of the Diocese of Los Angeles, and Bishop Cyril, rector of the Ss Athanasius and Cyril of Alexandria Theological Seminary.

They summed up the work carried out after the previous online conference held this April and discussed pressing problems of the implementation of joint project planned previously.

During the reporting period, several important initiatives were successfully realized. In the situation of a gradual stabilization of the epidemiological situation, reciprocal visits and meetings continue. In the period from August 23 to September 1, a delegation of abbots and monks of the Egyptian monasteries of the Coptic Church was on a visit to Russia. It was led by the Bishop Vukol, abbot of the El-Muharraq Monastery of the Most Holy Virgin Mary in the Asiyut Province. They visited holy places and historical cultural sights in the Metropoles of Moscow, Tver, Novgorod, and St. Petersburg, as well as the Valamo Monastery of the Holy Transfiguration. In conclusion of the visit, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia received in audience the special representative of the Coptic Patriarchate, Dr Anton Milad, who was honoured with the highest award of the Russian Orthodox Church - the Order of Glory and Honour (Degree II). In the period from October 11 to 17, a delegation of the Russian theological schools led by the rector of the St. Petersburg Theological Academy, Bishop Siluan of Petergof came to Egypt for negotiations on the development of cooperation in the academic sphere between the Moscow Patriarchate and the Coptic Church. During their visit, the permanent participants in the bilateral theological consultations, which have been held by the Commission since 2020, met for a working conference.

With a blessing of the Primates of the two Churches, active cooperation is developing at present between dioceses of the Moscow Patriarchate and Coptic students studying in Russian higher education schools. With the participation of the representative of the Coptic Church in Russia, Hieromonk Daud el-Antoni, young people meet with ruling bishops and heads of diocesan departments and joint activities are carried out on the level on deaneries and particular parishes. As part of the work of the Commission for Bilateral Dialogue, assistance is rendered to the parish of the Coptic Church in Moscow and the parish of the Moscow Patriarchate in Cairo in settling them down. The Commission members also discussed a number of other issues of mutual concerns.

In conclusion of the meeting, the participants expressed hope for continuation of their cooperation in 2022, in the first quarter of which the Commission plans to hold a meeting in persons in territory of the Russian Orthodox Church.

DECR Communication Service/Patriarchia.ru

Version: Russian