On January 10, during his pastoral visits to the Armenian Catholic communities of Russia, Patriarch Raphael Bedros XXI Minassian met with the Metropolit Hilarion of Volokolamsk, Head of the Department of Foreign Relations of the Patriarchate of the Russian Orthodox Church.

Patriarch Raphael Bedros XXI Minassian was accompanied by the Mons. Fr. Petros Yesayan, the Vicar of the Ordinary of the Armenian Catholics in Russia, and Fr. Narek Mnoyan, the Secretary of the Patriarch. Father Stefan, Secretary of Inter-Christian Relations and Fr. Alferov were also present with Metropolit Hilarion.

Welcoming the Patriarch, Metropolitan Hilarion highlighted the cooperation between the Moscow Patriarchate and the Armenian Catholic Church and the perspectives of implementing joint humanitarian projects in Syria and Lebanon in that context.

The leader of the Armenian Catholic Church highly valued the active support of the Moscow Patriarchate in the settlement of the situation in Nagorno Karabakh.

Both sides expressed readiness to build relations based on unity and mutual understanding for the benefit of the faithful people.

After the meeting with Metropolitan Hilarion, the Patriarch also met with the representative of the Patriarch of Antioch in Russia, Metropolitan Niphon. The Ambassador of Lebanon to Russia was also present at the meeting.