MOSCOW, November 18. /TASS/. Chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations Metropolitan Hilarion and Patriarch John X of Antioch administered a joint service in Damascus and discussed further cooperation between the churches in the humanitarian and charity sphere, the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations said on Sunday.

"Patriarch John told about the current situation in his country and thanked the Russian Orthodox Church for its assistance to those hurt in the warfare in Syria. They also discussed a wide range of issues of inter-church relations and prospects for further cooperation in rendering humanitarian assistance to the Syrian people," it said.

The two hierarchs administered a joint service at the church of the Russian Orthodox Church’s mission in Damascus. The church dedicated to Ignatius of Antioch is marking its 60th anniversary.

Metropolitan Hilarion visited Syria together with members of the Russian working group of Christians and Moslems. Established in the spring of 2017 to offer humanitarian assistance to Syria, the group has already conducted a number of large-scale fund raising campaigns to help those hurt in hostilities.