During the meeting, the sides discussed issues of state and church ties between the two countries, Metropolitan Kirill, the chairman of the External Church Relations Department of the Moscow Patriarchate, told Itar-Tass on Friday.

Leonel Fernadez spoke out in favour of further development of ties with Russia, Metropolitan Kirill, who heads the Russian delegation,

Ads

said. The Dominican president promised to render assistance in creating an Orthodox parish of the Moscow Patriarchate in the country. He also said that preparations for establishing an Association of graduates of institutes of higher education of the former USSR were underway in the Dominican Republic.

Metropolitan Kirill met with Orthodox Russians and former Soviet residents and held a thanksgiving service. During the visit, he had meeting with Archbishop of Santo Domingo Cardinal Nicholas Lopez who also supported the idea of creating an Orthodox parish in the Dominican Republic. According to unofficial data, over 1,000 Orthodox Christians are permanently living in the country.

On Saturday, Metropolitan Kirill will arrive in Cuba for an official visit. The main aim of the visit is to lay a foundation of the first Russian Orthodox church in the country. Cuban authorities gave their consent to the construction of the church in one of Havana’s historical squares.

HAVANA, November 13 (Itar-Tass)