Russian Church meets with Assyrian Church delegation

(mospat.ru) - On July 21, 2015, at the “Danilovsky” hotel complex, there was a meeting of representatives of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate and the Assyrian Church of the East, devoted to the study of the concept of bilateral dialogue.

The event was held pursuant to the relevant agreement between the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, His Holiness Kirill, and Catholicos-Patriarch of Assyria, Mar Dinkha IV during the visit of the Primate of the Assyrian Church of the East in Russia, May 26 - June 9, 2014.

With the blessing of the Department for External Church Relations Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, the meeting was attended by Archimandrite Filaret (Bulekov) - Deputy Chairman of the DECR, Monk Stefan (Igumnov)DECR secretary for inter-Christian relations, and S. G. Alferov, an employee of the Department for External Church Relations. The Assyrian side was represented by Mar Awa Royel, Bishop of California and Secretary of the Holy Synod of the Assyrian Church of the East, who arrived in Moscow for a short visit and Chor-bishop Samano Odisho, rector of the Assyrian Church of the most Holy Virgin Mary in Moscow.

During the meeting they agreed on the concept of the upcoming proposal of dialogue, which it is planned to bring to the Holy Synods of the two Churches. In addition to the theological consultation it is expected to develop bilateral relations, particularly in the areas of academic cooperation, support for Christians in the Middle East, and the Church social service.