His Holiness Patriarch Kirill headed a solemn meeting on the occasion of the 135th anniversary of the Imperial Orthodox Palestinian Society

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill headed a solemn meeting on the occasion of the 135th anniversary of the Imperial Orthodox Palestinian Society Святейший Патриарх Кирилл возглавил торжественное заседание по случаю 135-летия Императорского православного палестинского общества print version June 2, 2017 19:06 June 2, 2017 in the Hall of Church Councils of Christ the Savior in Moscow held IV report-back election conference of the Imperial Orthodox Palestine Society and the solemn meeting in honor of the 135th anniversary of the oldest international non-governmental organization. The solemn meeting was attended by His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, who heads the Committee of Honorary Members of the Imperial Orthodox Palestinian Society. In the presidium of the meeting also attended: Patriarchal governor of the Moscow diocese Metropolitan Krutitsky and Kolomna Yuvenaly ; Minister of Culture of the Russian Federation The Medina; Chairman of the Imperial Orthodox Palestinian Society S.V. Stepashin; Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the IOPS, Chairman and President of PJSC "Transneft" NP Tokarev. S.V. Stepashin welcomed the audience and read out the greetings of the President of the Russian Federation V.V. Putin and the Chairman of the Government of the Russian Federation D.A. Medvedev . The word to the participants of the meeting addressed the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Kirill. The gift of the Imperial Palestinian society His Holiness gave a copy of the picture GI Semiradsky's "Christ at Martha and Mary." S.V. Stepashin thanked His Holiness the Patriarch for his participation in the ceremony and presented His Holiness with the painting "The Church of the Holy Sepulcher", created by Anastasia Artemieva, a student of the Moscow Academic Art Institute. IN AND. Surikov. At the solemn meeting devoted to the 135th anniversary of the IOPS, were: Minister of Culture of Russia V.R. The Medina; Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation M.L. Bogdanov, who read out the text of the greeting the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia SV Lavrov ; Minister of Tourism and Historic Monuments of the State of Palestine Rula Maaya, who read out the greeting of the President of the State of Palestine, Mahmoud Abbas; The head of the Russian and Novo-Nakhichevan diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church, Archbishop Ezras Nersisyan, who read the greetings of the Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II ; representative of the Patriarch of Antioch and All the East at the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia , Metropolitan Filippopolskiy Nifon ; Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the IOPS N.P. Tokarev; Deputy Head of the Department of National Policy and Interregional Relations of Moscow, K.L. Blessed are they who read the greeting from the mayor of Moscow SS Sobyanin ; Chairman of the St. Petersburg branch of the IOPS, General Director of the State Hermitage Mikhail Piotrovsky; Hero of Russia cosmonaut S.A. Volkov. A video greeting was also shown to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, S.V. Lavrov. Deputy Chairman of the IOPS, IOPS representative in the Holy Land, I.R. Ashurbeyli donated a part of the relics of the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Queen Helena to the Imperial Orthodox Palestinian Society. The meeting was attended by Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, Chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate Financial and Economic Department, Metropolitan Mark of Ryazan and Mikhailovsky , Chairman of the Synodal Committee for Interaction with the Cossacks, Metropolitan Kirill of Stavropol and Nevinnomyssky , Metropolitan of Tver , Bishop of Taurus of Barnaul and Altai , head of the Moscow Patriarchate by foreign institutions Bishop Bogorodsky NTON , deputy chairman of the DECR MP Archpriest Nikolai Balashov , the hierarchs and clergy of the Russian Orthodox Church. The meeting was also attended by state and public figures, friends and partners IOPS, delegates and guests from more than 40 Russian and foreign representative offices IOPS. At the end of the official part of the event, a concert and reception took place. The Imperial Orthodox Palestinian Society was established on June 3, 1882 by decree of Emperor Alexander III on the public initiative of state and church figures and representatives of the Romanov House. The first chairman of the Society was the Grand Duke Sergei Alexandrovich, and after his death the Society was headed by his wife Grand Duchess Elizabeth Feodorovna. Throughout its history, the Palestinian society has been carrying out humanitarian, educational, peacekeeping and scientific missions aimed at preserving Russia's spiritual ties with the Holy Land, the heritage of Russian Palestine, strengthening Russian Orthodox presence in the biblical region, and developing friendly relations with countries and peoples inhabiting such Important for the destinies of the world region. Historical traditions are preserved and multiplied in modern conditions, IOPS action program is being successfully implemented in the Middle East. The Society carries out humanitarian and educational projects, returns the once-lost Russian property, defends the rights of Christians, renders humanitarian assistance to the suffering population of Syria, is engaged in pilgrimage, scientific and publishing activities.