Moscow, October 5 (Interfax) - Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia is expected to meet with Queen Elizabeth II while visiting the United Kingdom on October 15-18.
"Patriarch Kirill is expected to meet with Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom, who celebrated her 90th birthday this year, and with Archbishop Justin Welby, the leader of the Church of England," Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, the chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate's Department for External Church Relations, said in an interview with Interfax-Religion on Wednesday.
He did not disclose the agenda of the meetings.
"However, it can be said that the Middle East theme will be among the key ones, because this is one of the hot subjects that, unfortunately, have been on the agenda to stay. The situation in the Middle East is not changing for the better. If we talk about the condition of Christians in this region, it remains to be critical and tragic. And, certainly, this subject will be addressed at the above-mentioned meetings," he said.
The main purpose of the patriarch's visit, which is timed to coincide with the 300th anniversary of Russian Orthodoxy in British Islands, is to meet with his congregation, Metropolitan Hilarion said.
"Our Church's congregation in the United Kingdom is very large. I remember this very well from the times when I studied in this country. The matter could concern hundreds of thousands people, and these are people of different ethnic background, such as Russians, Ukrainians, Belarusians, those coming from the Baltic region and Central Asia. In addition, this also includes the Brits who have come over to Orthodoxy. This is an ethnically mixed and a very sizeable group," he said.
Wednesday, October 5, 2016
Patriarch Kirill to visit UK, meet Queen
The royal family is closer to Orthodoxy than some might imagine. See today's story on Prince Charles visiting the burial site of Princess Alice of Battenberg, who is interred in the Church of Mary Magdalene on the Mount of Olives.
I am sure the Queen will be well aware of Russian war crimes in Syria against children, aid convoys and hospitals, and that Kirill has been completely silent in the face of these atrocities committed by Putin's air force and troops.
ReplyDeleteWhat a joke? You have no clue what you are talking about!
DeleteI know exactly what I am talking about. Patriarch Kirill is corrupt, and deeply involved in a criminal régime which commits crimes against humanity which never once has he condemned, so he is legally an accessory to those crimes.
Delete"Our great Lord and Father Kirill, the Most Holy Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia"
DeleteI wonder how singing this sits with the consciences of the clergy. I know some who still commemorate "The Orthodox Episcopate of the Church of Russia" instead.
"The Brits that have come over to Orthodoxy" - most of the Moscow Patriarchate adherents of British descent left the MP in 2006 as a result of Kirill's misconduct as Head of the DECR, and have not returned and never will.
ReplyDeleteIn fact, Metropolitan Hilarion is now saying that a meeting with Her Majesty the Queen is "possible", which is not the same as a meeting being "expected". He must have been rebuffed. This is not the first time that Hilarion has caused embarrassment for his Anglican hosts at Lambeth Palace. British people will be outraged that he dared to try to draw the Queen into his grubby little point-scoring tricks.
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ReplyDeleteThis article in The Times shows that the British are aware that Patriarch Kirill is the mouth piece of Putin.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/queen-in-row-over-putin-allys-visit-c00swt928
"The royal reception is for Patriarch Kirill, head of the Russian Orthodox church, who arrives for his first UK visit next Saturday. MPs and a former senior government adviser have called it a “propaganda” trip from a churchman who has described Putin’s presidency as a “miracle of God”. In July Kirill, 69, an alleged former KGB agent, also described Russia’s operations in Syria as “noble and honest”. "
And there is more here:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-3831635/EPHRAIM-HARDCASTLE-did-Queen-NOT-Charles-meet-Russian-religious-leader.html#ixzz4MtiNBulS
The Russian government is fighting on the side of civilization and Christianity against barbarism and Wahabbist Islam in Syria.
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