His Beatitude Patriarch John X received His Eminence Metropolitan Anthony, Chairman of the Department for External Relations of Moscow and All Russia, at the Patriarchal Residence in Damascus. The meeting was attended by His Excellency Alexander Efimov, Russian Ambassador in Damascus, Archpriest Nikolai Balashov, Archpriest. Archimandrite Philip Vasilyev, representing the Russian Patriarch to the Patriarch of Antioch, Father Igor Yakimchuk and Father Alexander Ershov. On the Antioch side, Their Lordships Bishops Romanos (Al-Hannat), Moussa (Al-Khouri), Ioannis Batah and Dr. Hassan Risha were present. His Eminence Anthony conveyed the love and greetings of Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia to His Beatitude and the Church of Antioch. His Beatitude Patriarch John instructed Metropolitan Anthony to convey the love and prayers of the children of the Antiochian Church to the Russian Church headed by His Holiness Patriarch Kirill. He praised the role played by the Russian Church in supporting the Church of Antioch, reaching out to consolidate the Christian presence in the Middle East and supporting humanity of all origins despite harsh conditions, war, destruction and displacement. The meeting reviewed the current situation in the Middle East and emphasized the historic relationship between the two The two sides emphasized the depth and strength of this historic relationship and the need to work to fully strengthen it. Both sides emphasized the depth and strength of this historic relationship and the need to work to strengthen it in every possible way. The meeting also addressed global ecclesiastical developments facing the Church at the Christian and Orthodox levels, as well as moral issues affecting and undermining the foundations of the Christian family and the disintegration of societies.
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