This report appeared in Russian Orthodox Church Church News February, 2005.
Translation by Nina Tkachuk Dimas
+Kirill, Metropolitan of Smolensk and Kaliningrad received Archimandrite Vasily, Hegumen of the Iviron Monastery on the Holy Mt. Athos On February 24, 2005 in the MP Dept. of External Church Relations, its chairman, Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad, met with Archimandrite Vasily, Hegumen of the Iviron Monastery on the Holy Mt. Athos, and with Hieromonk Chrostophor, a member of its monastic brotherhood. They had come to Moscow to take part in festivities in honor of the nameday of Alexey II, the Most Holy Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia.
During the ensuing conversation, they touched on the subjects of the Russian presence on the Holy Mt. Athos, as well as relations between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Iviron Monastery, long closely tied to Russia.
On February 25, 2005, the guests from the Holy Mountain will participate in the Divine Liturgy at Christ the Savior Cathedral and will extend greetings to the Most Holy Patriarch Alexey on his nameday.