Bishop Gennady took part in the anniversary meeting of the Commission for Dialogue between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Coptic Church

September 2025. Moscow. With the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus’ and His Holiness Pope Tawadros II of the Coptic Church, the 6th meeting of the Commission for Dialogue between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Coptic Church took place at the Pokrovsky Stavropegial Convent. The session was dedicated to the 10th anniversary of the Commission’s establishment.

From the Moscow Patriarchate, participants included: co-chairman of the Commission Metropolitan Isidor of Smolensk and Dorogobuzh; Chancellor of the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District Bishop Gennady of Kaskelen; Commission secretary, secretary of the Department for External Church Relations for Inter-Christian Relations Hieromonk Stephan (Igumnov); deputy chair of the Synodal Department for Monasteries and Monasticism, abbess of the Convent of the Conception Abbess Iuliania (Kaleda); vice-rector for academic affairs of the Moscow Theological Academy Priest Pavel Lizgunov; DECR staff member S. G. Alferov.

The Coptic delegation included: co-chairman of the Commission Metropolitan Serapion of Los Angeles; dean of the Seminary of Saints Athanasius and Cyril in the USA, vicar of the Los Angeles diocese Bishop Kyrillos; representative of the Coptic Church in Russia Hieromonk Dawood el-Antony; Patriarchal adviser A. Milad; head of the Department of the Coptic Patriarchate for project implementation B. Soliman.

Also present at the opening of the Commission’s meeting were members of the delegation of Coptic monastics led by Bishop Stephanos of Beba and el-Fashn, who on that day completed their pilgrimage visit to the Russian Orthodox Church.

Addressing those gathered at the solemn opening of the Commission’s meeting, Metropolitan Isidor of Smolensk and Dorogobuzh said:

“I warmly welcome all of you to the Pokrovsky convent!

This holy place is especially marked — here rest the relics of Blessed Matrona of Moscow, one of the most beloved saints of the Russian people. In our time she is becoming known throughout the Christian world, including in the Ancient Oriental Churches close to us.

Today we open the anniversary session of the Commission for Dialogue between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Coptic Church. This year it celebrates its 10th anniversary. I congratulate all gathered here to share in the joy of our common celebration. I ask your prayers for the continued successful service of the Commission for the benefit of our brotherly Churches and peoples.”

His Eminence recalled that the Commission was established on May 5, 2015, following the agreement reached between His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus’ and His Holiness Pope Tawadros II of the Coptic Church during the latter’s first visit to Russia in autumn 2014. The Metropolitan drew attention to the level of relations achieved between the two Churches over the past decade.

Metropolitan Isidor also presented the current agenda of the Commission, which covers many areas.

In his reply, Metropolitan Serapion of Los Angeles congratulated Metropolitan Isidor of Smolensk and Dorogobuzh on his appointment as co-chairman of the Commission and expressed hope that its work would strengthen the traditionally friendly ties between the Moscow Patriarchate and the Coptic Church.

As part of the festive evening, a concert was presented featuring the choir of the Smolensk Orthodox Theological Seminary and the choir of the Coptic parish of St. Mark the Apostle and Evangelist in Moscow, who performed Russian and Coptic liturgical and spiritual hymns.