Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk and the Vice President of the Department of Foreign Ecclesiastical Relations Nikolaos Balasov were in Jerusalem on Sunday, February 20, 2022.
They were welcomed at the Patriarchate by Patriarch Theofilos of Jerusalem. Metropolitan Hilarion conveyed the wishes of Patriarch Kirill of Moscow for the 70th birthday of Patriarch Theophilos.
It is worth noting that the visit of the Russian Hierarchs comes shortly before the Summit of the Primate of the Presbyterian Patriarchates that is to take place in the coming period – and before Holy Week – in Constantinople.
For this reason, Elder Metropolitan of Chalcedon and Hierarchs of the Patriarchate of Alexandria, have already visited the Patriarch of Antioch. The Metropolitan of Chalcedon to convey the invitation of the Ecumenical Patriarch to participate in the Synod, and Hierarchs of the Patriarchate of Alexandria to inform Patriarch John about the developments regarding the Russian invasion but also about the meeting of the four Churches.
It is also characteristic that the news of the visit of the Russian Hierarchs to Jerusalem became known from the website of the Department of Foreign Ecclesiastical Relations, while the website of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem has not made any relevant post.
As the website of the Department of Foreign Ecclesiastical Relations informs us, during the conversation of Patriarch Theofilos with Metropolitan Hilarion, “which took place in a warm atmosphere, various issues of mutual interest were raised. In particular, the situation of Christians in the Holy Land and in the Middle East, in general, was not discussed.”
Then dinner followed, which was attended by Metropolitan Isychios of Capitolias, Archbishop Aristarchos of Constantina, Vice President of Teest Prestany Nikolaos Balasv, the Deputy Head of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission in Jerusalem Heromone Domefrosian Markarian, Archidiakon Markos Henderson.