News

Patriarch Kirill meets with Abbas, favors preserving Jerusalem's special status

Moscow, February 14, Interfax - Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia believes the special status of Jerusalem should be preserved.

"I am convinced that the key to pacification in the land of Biblical history lies in the settlement of relations between Palestine and Israel. We are deeply convinced that solid peace should be achieved by negotiating with regard for the lawful interests of the parties, bearing in mind that the special status of Jerusalem should be preserved," he said during a meeting with Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas in Moscow on Wednesday.

The patriarch said he believes there should be solid guarantees of good conditions for religious life.

The patriarch said the Holy Land is visited by more than half a million pilgrims annually and that many of them go to Palestine, and that attaining a just peace is therefore very important to the church.

Abbas, for his part, said he hopes for an increase in the number of Russian pilgrims.

"We do know that the number of Russia pilgrims visiting holy places is now around 500,000. We hope for an increase of their number as our friendly relations develop," he said.

"I would also like to speak about the role of the Russian Orthodox Church in establishing pilgrimage to holy places and the coordination that the Russian Orthodox Church provides between Russian pilgrims and the people of Palestine," he said.

Patriarch Kirill and the Palestinian leader meet regularly. Their last meeting took place in 2017.

The Russian Church appreciates Palestine's care in preserving Christian holy places and has a positive view of the state of inter-religious relations in the Palestinian territories, a representative of the patriarchate said.

Print this page

Home

News

.	Customize latest news

• Ukrainian Orthodox Church outraged by inclusion of Metropolitan Onufry in Mirotvorets database 26 September 2018, 14:02
• Statements by Ukrainian Orthodox Church Synod contradict Ukrainian traditions, appear to be attempt to fan conflict - Ukrainian Culture Ministry 26 September 2018, 12:54
• Ukrainian Orthodox Church Synod calls on Verkhovnaya Rada not to pass laws aimed at canonical Church (updated) 25 September 2018, 18:09
• Synod of Ukrainian Orthodox Church sees appointment of 2 Constantinople exarchs as interference in internal affairs (updated) 25 September 2018, 17:24
• Ukrainian Metropolitan Onufry refuses to receive Constantinople's exarchs 24 September 2018, 11:08
• Ukrainian Church (Moscow Patriarchate) to see parallel institution set up by Constantinople as schismatic - chancellor 24 September 2018, 11:05
• About 1 billion rubles were collected for building the main church of Russian Military Forces 21 September 2018, 18:29
• Serbian Orthodox Church opposes Constantinople's claim to determine Ukrainian Church's future 21 September 2018, 16:57
• Moscow lacks at least 20 synagogues 21 September 2018, 13:13
• Metropolitan Onufry is Ukraine's sole canonical Orthodox leader - Jerusalem Church's exarch 20 September 2018, 18:45
• Jehovah's Witnesses detained in Perm 20 September 2018, 15:23
• Poroshenko promises state protection for clergy, laity of Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Moscow Patriarchate who join unified local church 20 September 2018, 14:11
• Putin attends sanctification ceremony for foundation stone of military's main church at Patriot Park 20 September 2018, 10:00
• Russian Church to help Syria return to peaceful life - Patriarch Kirill 19 September 2018, 10:00
• Putin, Erdogan didn't discuss conflict between Russian Orthodox Church, Constantinople – Peskov 18 September 2018, 12:23
• Constantinople exarch in Kiev collects works of Ukrainian nationalists 18 September 2018, 10:20
• Constantinople's exarch says willing to cooperate with "Kiev Patriarchate" 17 September 2018, 19:01
• Metropolitan Hilarion calls Constantinople policy mean 17 September 2018, 17:44
• Metropolitan Hilarion recommends Constantinople to form "one local Church in America" 17 September 2018, 17:44
• Metropolitan Hilarion accuses U.S. of deliberately destroying Russian Orthodox Church 17 September 2018, 11:32
• Russian Orthodox Church says Patriarchate of Constantinople status might be reviewed 14 September 2018, 21:55
• Patriarch Kirill's spokesman likens state of Moscow-Constantinople relations with yellow traffic light 14 September 2018, 21:53
• Moscow Patriarchate suspends mentioning of Patriarch Bartholomew in prayers at church services 14 September 2018, 21:48
• Constantinople Patriarchate has no right to interfere in Ukrainian church affairs - Metropolitan Onufry 14 September 2018, 15:29
• Constantinople has 'tradition' of encouraging schisms in Russian Orthodox Church - Patriarch Kirill 14 September 2018, 15:14
• Moldovan president proposes outlawing gay prides 14 September 2018, 14:31
• Kremlin following current session of Holy Synod of Russian Orthodox Church - Peskov 14 September 2018, 14:23
• UOC official believes most of its parishioners won't leave for Constantinople's "autocephaly" 14 September 2018, 09:43
• Russian Orthodox Church Holy Synod to hold extraordinary meeting on Sept 14 13 September 2018, 20:55
• Situation surrounding Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Kiev is state's brutal interference in Church affairs - Russian Foreign Ministry 13 September 2018, 17:15

Other news