Head of the ROC DECR meets with Patriarch John of Antioch

On January 26, 2025, the head of the Department for External Church Relations of the Russian Orthodox Church, Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk, met with the Primate of the Antiochian Orthodox Church, Patriarch John X, the ROC DECR Communication Service reports.

It is reported that Metropolitan Anthony conveyed to the Primate of the Antiochian Orthodox Church fraternal greetings from His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia and assurances of support for His Beatitude and his entire flock in this difficult time.

In addition, during a long cordial conversation, a wide range of issues of mutual interest were discussed, including the situation of Christians in the Middle East and other regions of the world, prospects for further development of fraternal cooperation between the Patriarchates of Antioch and Moscow, and the current state of inter-Orthodox and inter-Christian relations.

Earlier, Ukrainian religious observers lobbying for the OCU in the media accused the Patriarchate of Antioch of being favorable to Russia and the Russian Orthodox Church. The reason for such relations, the “experts” say, is the significant funds that Russia allegedly allocated to support the Church of Antioch. That is why, according to observers, the Patriarchate of Antioch did not participate in the Cretan Council of 2016 and later did not recognize the OCU.