Study visit to Rome of young Russian Orthodox priests

17 Jun 2019

Within the context of cultural projects between the Holy See and the Moscow Patriarchate, the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity welcomed for the fourth year consecutively, from 8–15 June, a delegation of twelve young priests of the Moscow Patriarchate for a study visit to deepen their understanding of the Catholic Church.

The delegation, led by Bishop Feoktist of Pereslav–Uglič, participated in the Holy Mass for Pentecost presided over by the Holy Father, visited some holy sites of the city as well as a number of Dicasteries of the Roman Curia, in particular the Secretariat of State, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, the Congregation for Catholic Education and the Pontifical Council for Culture.

The delegation also visited a range of educational institutes, including the Pontifical Lateran University, Pontifical Gregorian University, Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy, Pontifical Athenaeum of Saint Anselm, Pontifical Biblical Institute, Collegium Russicum and Almo Collegio Capranica.

The delegation greeted the Holy Father after the general audience on 12 June, and was received by Cardinal Pietro Parolin on 13 June.

An exchange visit to Moscow by a group of young Catholic priests will take place at the end of August with a view to deepening their understanding of the Russian Orthodox Church, upon the invitation of the Department for External Church Affairs of the Moscow Patriarchate. These annual exchange visits have been organized following the historical meeting between the Holy Father and Patriarch Kirill of Moscow held in Havana on 12 February 2016.