Antiochian Church welcomes Pat. Kirill to Latin America

(Antiochian Church) - The Antiochian Orthodox Church receives in Sao Paulo, on behalf of His Beatitude John X the Patriarch of Antioch and all the east, the Patriarch of Moscow and all Russia, Cyril, who will celebrate the Divine Liturgy on Sunday February 21 in the Orthodox Cathedral of St. Paul, the center of the Antiochian Archdiocese in Sao Paulo and all Brazil, whose shepherd is His Eminence Archbishop Damaskinos (Mansur).

This unique event comes during the official tour paid by His Beatitude Cyril of Russia, to Latin America, between February 11- 21, which will be inaugurated by a historic meeting with His Holiness Pope Francis in Cuba on February 12 in the presence of very high official figures from Syrian and Lebanese origins, on political, diplomatic, and religious levels, besides a huge crowd of believers from antiochian and Russian churches in Sao Paulo. The visit of His Beatitude Cyril the Russian patriarch, to the Antiochian Orthodox church in Brazil, is a manifestation of deepening the brotherly relationships that hold the two Patriarchates, especially after the historic meeting with his Holiness Pope Francis, the meeting that has inserted and spread joy in the souls of our children in Brazil, since his Holiness holds deep thoughts and vision concerning the unity of the body of Christ which is promising good for every project or meeting that aims at uniting the churches.

His Eminence added that the visit is a chance, through which we thank his Beatitude the Patriarch of Russia and all the Russian people, for the help and endeavors they have exerted for the return of peace and tranquility to our turbulent east.

His Beatitude the Russian patriarch will bless the believers after the Divine Liturgy, then will meet with some official figures, at the bishop’s house, who shall partake of the lunch prepared by the Church, in honor of His Beatitude, and the Russian delegation in the Syrian club in Sao Paulo, after which, he leaves for the airport, to fly back to Russia.