Coptic head visiting Moscow

(mospat.ru) - On October 28, 2014, His Holiness Tawadros II, Patriarch of the Coptic Church, arrived in Moscow for his first visit to the Russian Orthodox Church since he was elected to the Patriarchal throne in November 2012.

The official delegation accompanying His Holiness includes Metropolitan Bishoy of Damietta; Bishop Rafeile of Central Cairo, general secretary of the Coptic Church Holy Synod; Bishop Kirolos of Milan; Bishop Serapion of Los Angeles; Bishop Angelos, vicar-bishop in Great Britain; Rev. Angelos Ishak, Patriarchal secretary; Rev. Poules Halim, Patriarchal press secretary; Sister Edrosis Girgis, mother superior of the St. Theodore Convent in Cairo; Prof. Dr. Ishak Ibrahim Agban, Port Said Theological and Pastoral College.

At Domodedovo airport, Patriarch Tawadros II was met by Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, head of the Moscow Patriarchate Department for External Church Relations, Egypt’s Ambassador to Russia Mohamed Abdelsattar Elbadri, Archpriest victor Kulaga, representative of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia to the Patriarchal See of Alexandria, Hieromonk Stephan (Igumnov), DECR secretary for inter-Christian relations, and Rev. Alexander Vasyutin of the DECR.

Welcoming the high guest, Metropolitan Hilarion expressed hope that His Holiness’s visit to the Russian Orthodox Church will be fruitful and leave good memories.

“We are very glad to come for a visit to your Church. Some members of my delegation have already been here, while the rest, just as I, have come for the first time. I will be glad to meet with His Holiness Patriarch Kirill. We know that visiting the Russian Orthodox Church we are filled with grace”, the Head of the Coptic Church said.

The program of the visit includes a meeting with His Holiness Patriarch Kirill and representatives of the Russian state leadership and visits to churches in Moscow and its region.

The visit of Patriarch Tawadros to the Russian Orthodox Church will be concluded on November 4, 2014.