Notes from Met. Jonah's visit to Russia, installment 5

January 20, 2011 (mpda.ru) - Metropolitan of All America and Canada, Jonah visited the Moscow Theological Academy. His Beatitude was accompanied by Bishop Alexander of Dmitrov, bishop of Pittsburgh and Western Pennsylvania Melchizedek, a representative of the Orthodox Church in America, the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, and Archimandrite Zacchaeus (Wood).

His Beatitude bowed before shrines of the Holy Trinity at St. Sergius Lavra, and visited the church and the archaeological museum of the Moscow Theological Academy.

At the MDA, the delegation met with rector of educational work Abbot Vassian (Zmeyev) and assistant to the rector of representational work of Archdeacon Igor Mikhailov .

The visit ended with a warm conversation in the academy dining hall.

And also...

(st-catherine.ru) - On January 19th, 2011, after the divine service at the Cathedral of the Epiphany and fraternal repast, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia had a talk with His Beatitude Metropolitan Jonah of All America and Canada.

In a warm atmosphere of mutual understanding and trust, they discussed relationship between the two Churches and the situation of Orthodoxy on the American continent.

The Primates were joined in the meeting by Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations (DECR); archpriest Nikolai Balashov, DECR deputy chairman; Rev. Igor Yakimchuk, DECR secretary for inter-Orthodox Relations. Bishop Melchizedek of Pittsburgh and Western Pennsylvania (OCA); and archimandrite Zaccaeus (Wood), representative of the OCA to the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia.