Patriarch Porfirije of Serbia visited the Kremlin on the second day of his visit to Moscow, where he met with Russian President Putin. He was accompanied by Patriarch Kirill of Moscow.
During the meeting, mutual praise was exchanged, along with references to the close relationship between the two peoples and the desire for the West to return to Christian values. Of course, there was no mention of the war that Russia has been waging against Orthodox Ukraine for more than three years.
The meeting was also attended by the Archbishop of Novi Sad and Metropolitan of Bačka, Irinej, and the Metropolitan of Volokolamsk Anthony, Chairman of the Department for External Church Relations (DECR) of the Moscow Patriarchate.
The meeting, as reported by the Serbian Patriarchate, took place “in an atmosphere of full mutual understanding and a common desire to further strengthen cooperation between the two brotherly peoples and brotherly Churches”.
The head of the Serbian Orthodox Church thanked President Putin for the warm welcome and emphasized the “deep spiritual affinity that the Serbian people feels for the Russian people.
He also praised the Russian president, saying that Putin “defends, protects and promotes Christian values.
The Serbian Patriarch also noted that his attitude toward the Russian Orthodox Church and the Russian people, characterized by love and a desire for closer cooperation, is identical to that of his predecessors, the late Patriarchs Pavle and Irinej. “This same attitude is shared by the entire Serbian Orthodox Church,” Patriarch Porphyrios emphasized.
President Putin, with Patriarch Kirill of Moscow at his side, spoke of relations between the two peoples and states “with a spirit of understanding and deep knowledge of the conditions in the Balkan Peninsula,” emphasizing that “Russians and Serbs are united by their Orthodox faith and their common cultural tradition based on it.”
The recent Pan-Orthodox Serbian Assembly, the Russian president said, “is an effective means of preserving the unity and identity of Orthodox Serbs. He also welcomed the announced participation of the President of Serbia in the celebration of the 80th anniversary of the Victory over Fascism, which will take place in Moscow on May 9.
Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, referring to the bonds between the two peoples and Churches, stated that “they are the closest brotherly peoples and faithful allies, always devoted to each other, regardless of circumstances”.
All participants unanimously expressed the hope that Europe, as well as the entire West, will return to Christian values and the way of life derived from them, highlighting the recently deceased Pope Francis as a remarkable example who fought for this cause,” the Serbian Patriarchate concluded.
