On November 18, 2024, the chairman of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk, who is on a visit to the Republic of Srpska, met with its President Milorad Dodik.
Metropolitan Anthony met with the President of the Republic of Srpska.
The conversation, which took place at the House of the Republic in the city of Banja Luka, was attended by members of the delegation accompanying Metropolitan Anthony: Counselor to His Holiness Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Protopriest Nikolai Balashov, Deputy Chairman of the Russian Orthodox Church Protopriest Igor Yakimchuk and Secretary to the Chairman of the Russian Orthodox Church, Priest Nikolai Vasin. Among the participants were also the representative of the Patriarch of Serbia to the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Bishop Stephen of Remezia and Marko Romic, advisor to the President of the Republika Srpska on religious issues.
Bishop Marko Romic.
President Milorad Dodik expressed deep satisfaction with the arrival of the delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church, noting that this visit is another vivid testimony of the brotherhood and unity between the Serbian and Russian peoples and the two Churches. The head of the Republika Srpska spoke about the fruitful cooperation that has been established on its territory. cooperation between the state authorities and the Church. In his turn, Metropolitan Anthony thanked M. Dodik for the warm welcome given to the delegation of the Moscow Patriarchate and conveyed greetings from His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia.
As the meeting continued, the interlocutors exchanged views on the state of affairs in world Orthodoxy, on the persecution suffered by the canonical Church in Ukraine, and on the oppression of the Orthodox Church in a number of other countries, including the Baltic States.
On the same day, Milorad Dodik and Metropolitan Anthony, accompanied by members of the delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church and with the participation of Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to Bosnia and Herzegovina I.A. Kalabukhov, visited the construction site of the Russian-Serbian Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord and spiritual and educational center being built in Banja Luka.
At the end of the visit, the President of the Republika Srpska and the Chairman of the Russian Orthodox Church answered questions from journalists.
EVCS Communication Service/Patriarchy.ru
