On 27th July 2023, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia took part in the Second Russia–Africa Summit in St. Petersburg. He delivered an address at the plenary session of Russia–Africa Economic and Humanitarian Forum. Presiding at the meeting was President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin. In his speech the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church focused on various topical issues of Russia-Africa relations and the Russian Orthodox Church’s mission on the African continent.
Later that day His Holiness Patriarch Kirill visited a stand of the Patriarchal Exarchate of Africa at the Summit’s venue. Metropolitan Leonid of Klin, Patriarchal Exarch of Africa, provided necessary information to His Holiness about exhibits on display.
Patriarch Kirill was accompanied by Metropolitan Varsonofy of St. Petersburg and Ladoga and Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations.
Among those who attended the exhibition were also Archpriest Alexander Tkachenko, cleric of St. Petersburg Diocese, founder and director of St. Petersburg Children’s Hospice and chairperson of the executive board of the “Circle of Kindness” Foundation for the Support of Children with Serious Diseases; Archimandrite Alexy (Turikov), personal secretary to His Holiness Patriarch Kirill; and clerics of the Patriarchal Exarchate of Africa.
His Holiness Patriarch Kirill saw a photo exhibition telling about various memorable moments in the life of the Exarchate, as well as a model of the Russian Orthodox Church’s Religious and Educational Complex to be built in Kampala, capital of Uganda. As Metropolitan Leonid noted, the project is being implemented with the active assistance of the Autonomous Noncommercial Organization “East African Continental Council” (ANO EACC) and its president Mr Ivan Shkarban.
The Patriarchal Exarchate of Africa, established by the decision of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church on 29th December 2021 (Minutes No. 100), consists of the North Africa and Southern Africa dioceses. For one and a half years, the Exarchate has opened over 200 parishes in 25 African countries.
Press Service of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia
