The Chairman of the Department for External Church Relations of the Russian Orthodox Church spoke about the significance of the Kiev Metropolis's incorporation into the Russian Church in 1686

An exhibition commemorating the 340th anniversary of the transfer of the Kyiv Metropolis to the jurisdiction of the Moscow Patriarchate has opened at the State Historical Museum in Moscow. According to Romfea.gr, the event marks the anniversary of the diplomatic efforts of Emelyan Ukraintsev, which led to the incorporation of the Kiev ecclesiastical diocese into the Russian Orthodox Church in 1686.

Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Department for External Church Relations (DECR), spoke at the opening ceremony. In his speech, he conveyed the blessing of Patriarch Kirill and described the events of the 17th century as a “restoration of historical justice,” which contributed to strengthening the unity of the East Slavic peoples. The Metropolitan emphasized that these historical processes remain relevant to this day.

During his address, the representative of the Russian Orthodox Church also touched upon the current situation in Ukraine, stating that the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church faces persecution from the authorities and nationalist forces. According to His Eminence, the clergy and the faithful continue to courageously resist the “schism imposed from outside.”

The exhibition features unique artifacts illustrating the ecclesiastical and diplomatic history of that period. Among them is , a gold miter from 1685, presented by Tsar Peter I to Metropolitan Gedeon of Kyiv, as well as the text of a Synodal letter from 1686 — a document by Patriarch Dionysius IV of Constantinople confirming the transfer of authority over the appointment of the Metropolitans of Kyiv to the Patriarch of Moscow. Also on display is the text of the 1700 peace treaty with the Ottoman Empire, which cemented Russia’s presence in the Azov region.