The Primate of the Coptic Church was accompanied by Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations; H.E. Mr. Mohammed El-Badri, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Arab Republic of Egypt to the Russian Federation; Rev. Viktor Kulaga, representative of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia to the Patriarch of Alexandria; and hieromonk Stefan (Igumnov), DECR secretary for inter-Christian relations.
The high guest was greeted by Metropolitan Niphon of Philippopolis, representative of the Patriarch of Antioch and All the East to the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, rector of the Moscow Representation of the Orthodox Church of Antioch, and members of the Coptic community in Moscow.
During a breakfast given in honour of the high guest Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk thanked His Holiness Patriarch Tawadros for his visit to Russia and greeted him with two important dates: on 4 November 2014, Patriarch Tawadros II celebrated his birthday and the second anniversary of his election as Primate of the Coptic Church. His Holiness Patriarch Tawardos expressed his gratitude to the Russian Orthodox Church for the hospitality and said that it was the first time he celebrated his birthday outside of Egypt.
Later, the Primate of the Coptic Church visited the Patriarchal metochion of the Chernigov wonder-workers in Moscow. Metropolitan Hilarion told the guest about the restoration works at the Church of St John the Baptist, as well as about the activities of the Ss Cyril and Methodius Theological Institute for Post-Graduate and Doctoral Studies.
On the same day, the Primate of the Coptic Church venerated the ‘Joy to All the Afflicted’ Icon of the Mother of God at the church dedicated to that miracle-working icon and situated in Bolshaya Ordynka Street. Metropolitan Hilarion presented His Holiness Patriarch Tawadros II with a painting depicting the Church of the ‘Joy to All the Afflicted’ Icon of the Heavenly Queen.
Among those who saw off the Primate of the Coptic Church at the Domodedovo Airport were Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations; H.E. Mr. Mohammed El-Badri, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Arab Republic of Egypt to the Russian Federation; hieromonk Stefan (Igumnov), DECR secretary for inter-Christian relations; and Rev. Alexander Vasyutin and Rev. Mikhail Bodanov, DECR staff members.
