Russian Orthodox Church

«Department for External Church Relations»

7 February 2022 year 11:55

Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk hopes that Orthodox Churches will solve the lingering crisis through joint efforts

At the request of “The Church and the World” TV program’s host, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk commented on the words of the Greek bishop from Cameroon who accused Russia of deceiving the Greeks and of their mass death in the Ottoman Empire. “Russia as an Orthodox state has over many centuries helped the Greek people, the Balkan and other Orthodox people not only in their struggle for independence, but also in their struggle for survival,” Metropolitan Hilarion underscored.

5 February 2022 year 12:15

DECR Chairman’s comments on profanation of Christian holy sites in historical Sumela Monastery in Turkey

[Documents]

It was with great concern that we saw the magnificent Hagia Sophia in Istanbul and the Chora monastery with its famous frescoes deprived of museum status and actually closed for Christians in 2020. These holy sites as museums were places of world pilgrimage and served as a symbol of mutual respect and understanding between the two world religions. At present, these holy sites common to all Christians are de facto inaccessible to them.

4 February 2022 year 22:07

Press conference in Moscow on persecution of Christians in Africa

On February 4, a press conference took place at MIA Russia Today with the online participation of Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, head of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate, Metropolitan Leonid of Klin, Patriarchal Exarch for Africa, Hieromonk Stephen (Igumnov), DECR secretary for inter-Christian relations.

4 February 2022 year 21:22

Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk: The Russian Church will keep supporting persecuted Christians in Africa

Africa today is a hotspot for the persecution of Christians, said Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations at a press conference held at the Rossiya Segodnya (Russia Today) international news agency on February 4.

2 February 2022 year 17:31

Russian President presents Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk with the Order of Alexander Nevsky

On February 2, St.Catherine's Hall of the Grand Kremlin Palace hosted the ceremony of presenting highest state awards to the outstanding Russian scientists, medical doctors, workers of art, and people of other works of life in recognition of the labour.

1 February 2022 year 09:25

Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk: War is not a method for solving accumulated political problems

[Interview]

On the 29th of January, on The Church and the World TV program shown on Saturdays and Sundays on “Rossiya 24”, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, Chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations, answered questions fr om the anchor Ekaterina Gracheva

29 January 2022 year 20:19

Meeting of the Working Group for the Russian Orthodox Church’s Cooperation with the Evangelical-Lutheran Church of Finland

On January 28, the Working Group for the Russian Orthodox Church’s Cooperation with the Evangelical-Lutheran Church of Finland met for its regular session in St. Petersburg.

24 January 2022 year 13:31

Митрополит Волоколамский Иларион: Для признания подлинности «екатеринбургских останков» нужно соборное решение Церкви

[Interview]

22 января в передаче «Церковь и мир», выходящей на канале «Россия 24» по субботам и воскресеньям, председатель Отдела внешних церковных связей Московского Патриархата митрополит Волоколамский Иларион ответил на вопросы ведущей Екатерины Грачевой и телезрителей.

18 January 2022 year 14:24

Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk attends opening of Valery Khalilov Music Festival

The Valery Khalilov International Music Festival, named after the peoples’ artist of Russia, conductor and composer lieutenant general Valery Khalilov (1952-2016), opened at the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow on January 17.

18 January 2022 year 10:41

DECR Chairman meets with Croatia’s Minister of Foreign and European Affairs

On January 17, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, Chairman of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate, met with Mr Gordan Grlić-Radman. Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of the Republic of Croatia.

17 January 2022 year 14:50

Serbian Patriarch considers DECR multilingual news video programme as topical

In an interview given to the Russian journal “The International Affairs,” His Holiness Patriarch Porfirije of Serbia spoke of the church’s presence in the media space. He referred to “the duty of the Church to monitor developments in mass media and adjust to new realities the format and ways of its mission to preach Christ Crucified and Risen.”

17 January 2022 year 14:34

Митрополит Волоколамский Иларион: В ситуации конфронтации между Россией и США любые уступки свидетельствуют о готовности сторон двигаться навстречу

[Interview]

15 января в передаче «Церковь и мир», выходящей на канале «Россия 24» по субботам и воскресеньям, председатель Отдела внешних церковных связей Московского Патриархата митрополит Волоколамский Иларион ответил на вопросы ведущей Екатерины Грачевой и телезрителей.

16 January 2022 year 15:17

DECR chairman gives assessment to the first stage of the negotiations on security between representatives of the Russian Federation and the West

On the air of the Church and the World program, the chairman of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate gave an assessment to the first stage of the negotiations on security between the Russian Federation and the West, which took place on January 10, in Geneva.

16 January 2022 year 13:03

Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk: Orthodoxy is a traditional confession in Kazakhstan professed by several million people

Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk pointed out the great worth of the Orthodox Church for Kazakhstan when commenting on January events in the country at the request of “The Church and the World” TV programme’s host.

16 January 2022 year 12:53

Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk: the Church and traditional confessions have done everything possible to appease the situation in Kazakhstan

“The Russian Orthodox Church is very much perturbed by what happened in the New Year days in Kazakhstan”, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, the DECR head, said during the Church and the World program on Rossia 24 channel.