HIS HOLINESS KAREKIN II AWARDED THE PRIZE OF THE INTERNATIONAL FUND OF UNITY OF ORTHODOX PEOPLES

armradio.am
22.01.2010 13:16

Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia has given Catholicos Karekin
II of All Armenians the prize of the International Fund of Unity of
Orthodox Peoples for his contribution to strengthening unity between
Orthodox believes and building a Russian church in Armenia.

The patriarch named Karekin II as "a big friend of the Russian
Orthodox Church". "Over many centuries we are like brothers despite
the differences of our languages and doctrinal differences between
the Churches," His Holiness said, Itar-Tass reports.

He stressed that Russia and Armenia "lived as one state for a long
time. Today our peoples have maintained intensive cooperation and
communication."

"The Armenian diaspora lives in many countries. Several Russian
parishes work successfully in Armenia. The Armenian eparchy exists
in Russia," Kirill said.

He expressed hope that a mission of the Russian Orthodox Church
"will start working in Yerevan soon."

Karekin II thanked Patriarch Kirill for the high award. He noted that
this prize "is another sign of friendly relations between the brotherly
peoples, Churches and states." "It is especially important for me to
receive this prize jointly with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev,"
the Armenian Catholicos said.

President Medvedev met with the spiritual leader of all Armenians and
the Russian patriarch. They met prior to the start of the ceremony,
in which the International Fund of Unity of Orthodox Christinian
Nations awarded its annual prizes for the strengthening of unity of
Eastern Orthodox Christians.

The Fund awarded the prizes for 2009 to President Medvedev and Garegin
II, Serbian moviemaker Emir Kusturica, and the U.S.-based St.

Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary.