Head of Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia arrived in Moscow

19 February 2008, 10:41

Moscow, February 19, Interfax - Head of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia Metropolitan Laurus of East America and New York arrived in Moscow on Monday evening, Secretary of the Moscow Patriarchate Department for External Church Relations Nikolay Balashov told Interfax.

"Metropolitan Laurus is expected to make a speech at the opening of the 12th World Russian People's Council in the Kremlin on Wednesday," Father Nikolay said.

On Tuesday Metropolitan will receive the Moscow government's Compatriot of the Year prize in recognition of his efforts to "consolidate and strengthen the Russian diasporas in various countries," Balashov said.

On Friday, February 22, Metropolitan Laurus is due to meet with students and professors of the St. Tikhon Orthodox Humanitarian University and next week he will attend the celebration of Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Alexy II's name day.

During his visit to the Stt. Martha and Maria Convent on February 27, the Reverend Father will be handed a star and a moire ribbon of the Andrew-the-First-Called international prize "for faith and devotion" bestowed upon him on December 13, 2007 for his great personal contribution to the unification of the Russian Orthodox Church.

This is Metropolitan Laurus' first visit to Russia since May 17, 2007, when he and Patriarch Alexy signed the Act of Canonical Communion.

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