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His Holiness Pope and Patriarch Tawadros Sulaymān, 118th Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of all Africa of the Holy Apostolic See of Saint Mark, accompanied by a patriarchal delegation, arrived in Russia on 28 October 2014 ahead of a historic visit. HH Pope Tawadros will visit His Holiness Patriarch Kirill Gundyaev of Moscow and all the Russias on 29 October 2014, marking 26 years since the visit of the previous Pope of Alexandria, His Holiness the late Pope Shenouda who participated in the celebration of the Millennium of the Christianisation of Russia and the baptism of St Vladimir. His Holiness was met at Moscow’s Domodedovo airport by Metropolitan Ilarion Alfeyev of Volokolamsk, Chairman of the MP Synodal Department for External Church Relations in Moscow and His Excellency Dr Mahmoud El-Badry, Ambassador of the Arab Republic of Egypt to the Russian Federation, as well as Their Graces Bishop Kyrillos of Milan, Papal Exarch in Europe, and Bishop Angaelos, General Bishop of the Coptic Orthodox Church in the UK. a delegation comprising Metropolitan Bishoy of Damietta and Their Graces: Bishop Raphael, General Secretary of the Holy Synod of the Coptic Orthodox Church and Bishop Serapion of Los Angeles and Papal secretary Father Angelos Ishak and official spokesman of the Coptic Orthodox Church, Fr Boules Haleem accompanied Pope Tawadros.
From Moscow, Bishop Angaelos said:
“This fraternal visit is important because it marks the first visit of a Coptic Pope to Russia in 26 years and marks and demonstrates the depth of relationship between our two Churches and the many commonalities we share in our heritage and experience”. There’ll be a reception for Pope Tawadros at the Egyptian Embassy on the evening of 28 October 2014, and he’ll undertake various official visits and pastoral engagements throughout the duration of his stay.
28 October 2014
The Coptic Orthodox Church Centre UK
http://copticcentre.blogspot.com/2014/10/press-release-his-holiness-pope.html
click here and here for the patriarchia.ru coverage
Editor:
I asked a friend at the Centre why HH didn’t meet Pope Tawadros. He said:
That’s ticklish. We’re not in communion, and if His Holiness were to meet Pope Tawadros at the airport, it’d imply that there was something important up regarding the solving of our problems. Happily, Pope Tawadros is meeting His Holiness, and we plan to cover it fully on patriarchia.ru. He’ll attend services, but he won’t serve. That’s sad… but that’s what the circumstances dictate. It’s a happy event.
In short, HH is feeling his oats and showing everyone (especially, Bart) that HE and NOT Bart is the Big Kahuna of the Orthodox World.
BMD
Voices from Russia 
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