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Russian patriarch arrives in Lebanon

During his visit to the Anthiochian Orthodox Church the patriarch will visit the Beirut cathedral, the Balamand Monastery and will meet with the Lebanese president

BEIRUT, November 14 (Itar-Tass) —— Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Kirill arrived in Lebanon from Syria. During his visit to the Anthiochian Orthodox Church the patriarch will visit the Beirut cathedral, the Balamand Monastery and will meet with the Lebanese president, Russian compatriots, the Maronite patriarch and local Orthodox Christians.

“I arrived in Beirut from Syria to pray with Orthodox Christians, speak with Lebanese people and statesmen. I will be also glad to the visit the Balamand University and to meet with Russian compatriots,” the patriarch told a press briefing at the Beirut airport.

He noted that he is on an official visit to the Anthiochian Orthodox Church, on the canonical territory of which Lebanon is situated, under the Orthodox tradition for each new patriarch of 15 local Orthodox Churches to visit all other churches in the traditional order.

The Russian patriarch also recalled about his visit to Beirut in the capacity of the chairman of the Department of Internal Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate “in the days, when the city looked exactly like Stalingrad” and today approaching the Lebanese capital the patriarch was happy about the illumination of the restored city.

“I hope that this visit will make my modest contribution in the development of good relations between our Churches and people,” he concluded.