On March 27, at the residence of the Malankara Catholicos in Kottayam, the Chairman of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate, Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk, met with the Primate of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church, Catholicos Baselios Mar Thoma Mathews III.
Metropolitan Anthony conveyed to Primate of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church the greetings of Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and expressed gratitude for the invitation to attend the consecration of the Holy Chrism.
Catholicos Baselios Mar Thoma Mathews III, in turn, conveyed his warm wishes to the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church and expressed appreciation for the presence of a high representative of the Moscow Patriarchate at the celebrations, which hold pan-Orthodox significance for Christians in India.
During the meeting, the Catholicos and Metropolitan Anthony discussed a wide range of issues concerning cooperation between the two Churches and exchanged commemorative gifts.
Also participating in the meeting were Metropolitan Abraham Mar Stephanos of Great Britain, Europe, and Africa, Executive Director of the DECR of the Malankara Church Priest Ashwin Fernandes, and accompanying Metropolitan Anthony were Hieromonk Stefan (Igumnov), Secretary for Inter-Christian Relations of the DECR, and Priest Nikolai Vasin, Secretary to the Chairman of the DECR.
Source and photos: Patriarchate of Moscow
