“Deep gratitude” to His Holiness Patriarch Kirill was expressed by the Pope in a speech delivered at the end of the concert of Russian music, called by the Holy Father “a time of meeting and friendship with our beloved brothers of the Moscow Patriarchate”, as well as “an extraordinary moment of music”. It was offered to Benedict XVI – this afternoon in the Paul VI Hall at the Vatican - by Metropolitan Hilarion, president of the Moscow Patriarchate's Department for External Relations and author of one of the symphonies played. The Pope addressed to Kirill his “most fraternal and cordial greeting” expressing the hope that “our praise to the Lord and our commitment to the promotion of peace and harmony among peoples will draw us ever closer and make us grow in union of intentions and harmony of actions”. The Pope also expressed his “sincere gratitude” to Hilarion “for his constant ecumenical commitment” and “for his artistic creativity”. He finally addressed a special greeting to the “Russian communities, in Rome and in Italy, who participate in this festive and joyful moment” which marks the “end of the Days of Russian Culture and Spirituality in the Vatican” promoted by the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity and the Pontifical Council for Culture.

© SIR - May, 20th 2010