A while ago the Patriarch of Moscow and whole Russia, Mr. Cyril, arrived at the Ecumenical Patriarchate. The Patriarch and his companions were cordially accepted by the Ecumenical Patriarch Mr. Mr. Bartholomew.
The Ecumenical Patriarch wished them a warm welcome at Phanar, expressing his evident joy on the occasion of this visit.
“We are very happy to receive here, at the Ecumenical Patriarchate, His Grace and Holiness, the Patriarch of Moscow and whole Russia, Mr. Cyril with his companions. Every time we meet, we share our joy at the opportunity to discuss matters of mutual interest”.
The Patriarch Bartholomew also stated: “We believe in the dialogue, because if the political leaders tend to solve the problems of their countries with dialogue, how much more should we, as spiritual leaders, strive to use this God-given instrument, i.e. the dialogue, to solve the existing issues.”
The Head of the Russian Church, on his part, among the other things said: “We are grateful, Thine All-Holiness, to the opportunity to meet Thee here and the members of the Holy Synod as well.”
„All the time our Churches encounter problems which stem from and result of the outside world, but we have always been able, with God’s help, to find solutions and to overcome these problems” – stressed the Patriarch Cyril.
He also added: „You were right to mention the dialogue and expressed it with very beautiful words, however I myself consider that there is a great difference between the dialogue of the politicians and the dialogue we have here. In the political dialogue everyone advocates for the interests of his own country, while as the dialogue within the Church is of other kind, spiritual. Although we represent our Churches, we still have the mission and responsibility before God to maintain the unity of the Church.”
In the end, the Patriarch of Moscow concluded: “We would never do anything to harm the Universal Orthodoxy, because we the leaders have a responsibility for the entire orthodoxy and for the Body of the Church.”
