Visit of the DECR Chairman to Northern Iraq begins

On September 27, 2025, with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus’ and at the invitation of the Primate of the Assyrian Church of the East, His Holiness Catholicos-Patriarch Mar Awa III, Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk, Chairman of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate, arrived in Erbil, the capital of the Kurdish Autonomous Region of Iraq.

At the airport His Eminence was welcomed by: Bishop Mar Abris of Duhok of the Assyrian Church of the East; M. O. Rubin, Consul General of the Russian Federation in Erbil; Khalgurd Salay, Advisor to the Head of the Department of Foreign Relations of the Government of the Kurdish Autonomous Region; Jamal Jalal, Head of the Asia and Europe Division of the Department of Foreign Relations; Danar Mustafa, Acting Representative of the Government of the Kurdish Autonomous Region in Russia; V. V. Vavilin, Vice-Consul of Russia in Erbil; and Chorbishop Samano Odisho, Representative of the Assyrian Church of the East in Russia.

During his visit to the Kurdish Autonomous Region, Metropolitan Anthony will hold meetings with His Holiness Catholicos-Patriarch Mar Awa III and members of the Holy Synod of the Assyrian Church of the East, with the leaders and representatives of other local religious communities, with the leadership of the Kurdish Autonomous Region of Iraq, and with compatriots. The DECR Chairman will also address the International Conference of the Assyrian Church of the East dedicated to the First Ecumenical Council and deliver a lecture at Salahaddin University in Erbil.

Accompanying Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk on his trip are Hieromonk Stefan (Igumnov), DECR Secretary for Inter-Christian Relations, and Priest Nikolai Vasin, Secretary to the DECR Chairman.

DECR Communication Service/Patriarchia.ru