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French defenders of traditional family to meet Russian religious leaders, lawmakers

MOSCOW, March 31. /ITAR-TASS/. Representatives of French public and the Catholic Christian Church who call for protection of traditional family will hold consultations with spiritual leaders of different religions in the Russian capital of Moscow and will deliver speeches in the Russian parliament. The French delegation will arrive in Russia on Monday to stay in the country until April 4, a branch of the Russian Orthodox Church in the Council of Europe told ITAR-TASS.

“The leadership of organization Manif pour Tous are among our guests. The organization has gathered hundreds of thousands of demonstrators against same-sex marriages and adoption of children by same-sex couples in Paris, Lyon and other French cities in 2013. Catholic Bishop of Bayonne and Oloron Marc Aillet, representatives of Strasbourg-based European centre For Law and Justice, Jerome Lejeune Foundation which opposes abortions, euthanasia and funds Down syndrome genetic research to talk people into not interrupting pregnancy if doctors suspect this disease in a future child,” envoy of the Moscow Patriarchate at the Council of Europe Hegumen Filipp (Ryabykh) told ITAR-TASS.

Members of the delegation will meet Chairman of the department of church external relations of the Moscow Patriarchate Metropolitan Hilarion and members of the Russian Inter-religious Council. Meanwhile, they are expected to have meetings in both houses of Russian parliament, namely the Federation Council and the State Duma, and the Ministry of Labour and Social Security. “All this is organized so that Frenchmen will be able to find partners in Russia for cooperation in protection of traditional values,” Hegumen FIlipp added.

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