Representatives of Moscow and Antioch meet in New Jersey

Abp. Justinian of Naro-Fominsk, Met. Hilarion of Volokolamsk, Met. Philip of New York, and Bp. Nicholas of Brooklyn

(mospat.ru) - On 24 October 2012, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations, visiting the USA with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, met with the head of the Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese of North America, Metropolitan Philip (Saliba), Archbishop of New York and Metropolitan of All North America, one of the longest-tenured Orthodox hierarchs in the USA. The meeting took place at Metropolitan Philip’s residence in the city of Englewood, New Jersey.

The head of the Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese of North America warmly welcomed Metropolitan Hilarion and wished him God’s help in his ministry. Metropolitan Philip told the guest about the situation of the Orthodox Church of Antioch in North America, presented his vision of various aspects of parish life, and shared his recollections of his visits to Russia and meetings with late Patriarchs Pimen and Alexy II, and of his meetings with His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia when he was the chairman of the Department for External Church Relations.

The participants in the meeting discussed the situation in the Middle East and the situation of Christians in that region. Metropolitan Philip noted the importance of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill’s visit to Syria and Lebanon in November 2011.

Discussed at the meeting was also an important issue of the prospects of the Orthodox mission in the USA.

Taking part in the meeting were Archbishop Justinian of Naro-Fominsk, administrator of the Patriarchal Parishes in the USA; Bishop Nicholas of Brooklyn (Patriarchate of Antioch); and members of the delegation accompanying Metropolitan Hilarion on his visit: hierodeacon Ioann (Kopeikin), assistant to the DECR chairman; Mr. Leonid Sevastianov, executive director of the St Gregory the Theologian Charity Foundation; and Mr. Miguel Palacio, a DECR staff member.