His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus’ awards Bishop Gennady of Kaskelen the Order of St. Sergius of Radonezh, 2nd Class

On September 9, 2025, at the Patriarchal and Synodal residence in the Danilov Monastery in Moscow, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus’ met with members of the Commission for Dialogue between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Coptic Church, whose session is taking place in Russia these days.

Among the participants on the part of the Russian Orthodox Church were: the co-chairman of the Commission, Metropolitan Isidore of Smolensk and Dorogobuzh; the chancellor of the Metropolis of Kazakhstan, Bishop Gennady of Kaskelen; the secretary of the Commission, the secretary of the Department for External Church Relations for inter-Christian relations, Hieromonk Stefan (Igumnov); the abbess of the Zachatyevsky Stavropegic Convent, deputy chair of the Synodal Department for Monasteries and Monasticism, Abbess Iuliania (Kaleda); the vice-rector for academic affairs of the Moscow Theological Academy, Priest Pavel Lizgunov; a member of the Commission, DECR staff member S. G. Alferov.

From the Coptic Church participated: the co-chairman of the Commission, Metropolitan Serapion of Los Angeles; the secretary of the Commission, vicar of the Diocese of Los Angeles, rector of the Seminary of Saints Athanasius and Cyril of Alexandria in the USA, Bishop Kyrillos; the representative of the Coptic Church in Russia, Hieromonk Daoud el-Antoni; Patriarchal adviser Dr. Anton Milad; head of the Coptic Patriarchate’s Department for the Implementation of Church Projects Barbara Soliman.

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill warmly greeted the participants of the meeting, noting that it was being held on the commemoration day of Venerable Pimen the Great, one of the founders of Egyptian monasticism.

Addressing the head of the Coptic delegation, Metropolitan Serapion of Los Angeles, the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church asked him to convey greetings and expressions of his brotherly love to His Holiness Pope Tawadros II of the Coptic Church.

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill characterized the bilateral relations between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Coptic Church as “very, very benevolent, fraternal and reliable.”

In 2025 it is ten years since the establishment of the Commission formed to set up a permanent dialogue between the two Churches. The agreement on this was reached between His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus’ and His Holiness Pope Tawadros II of the Coptic Church during the visit of the Primate of the Coptic Church to Russia on October 28 — November 4, 2014. On February 9–13, 2015, a meeting of the joint working group to prepare the dialogue took place in Cairo. On May 5, 2015, the composition of the Commission was approved by the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church; in July of the same year an analogous decision was adopted by the Synod of the Coptic Church.

Having thanked the co-chairmen and members of the Commission present at the meeting for their zealous work, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus’ stated that it had greatly contributed to the strengthening of bilateral contacts and promoted mutual understanding.

The importance was emphasized of the annual reciprocal visits of Russian and Coptic monastics organized within the Commission’s activity, which take place in the context of the developing dialogue between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Coptic Church. Noting the importance for representatives of the Moscow Patriarchate of becoming acquainted with the monastic experience and ascetic life of the inhabitants of Coptic monasteries, His Holiness stated: “These testimonies open the hearts of Orthodox people toward your Church, its spirituality, its historical experience, and the sorrows through which the Coptic Church has passed.”

His Holiness also pointed to the significance of the theological dialogue which is part of the interaction between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Coptic Church. “We view the results of this dialogue very positively; we believe that it can both greatly contribute to bringing our Churches closer in the theological sphere and strengthen cooperation,” said Patriarch Kirill.

In turn, Metropolitan Serapion of Los Angeles conveyed to His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus’ the greetings and good wishes of the Primate of the Coptic Church and handed over his letter to the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church.

He also expressed the hope that His Holiness would, in due time, visit Egypt.

Continuing the conversation, he stressed the importance of the activity of the Commission for Dialogue between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Coptic Church, created ten years ago, and with gratitude noted the great contribution to the common work by the co-chairman and the participants from the Moscow Patriarchate.

At the conclusion of the meeting, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill presented awards to a number of members of the Commission for Dialogue between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Coptic Church.

In recognition of his contribution to the development of friendly relations between the two Churches, Bishop Gennady of Kaskelen was awarded the Order of Venerable Sergius of Radonezh, 2nd Class.

The head of the Orthodox Church in Kazakhstan, Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan, in a telephone conversation congratulated Bishop Gennady on receiving the high Church award and wished him strong health and the mercy of God.