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On 21 January 2012, His Beatitude Theodoros II, Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa, who is visiting Moscow at the invitation of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, met with the Greek ambassador in Russia Michael Spinellis at the Embassy. The Primate of the Church of Alexandria was accompanied by Metropolitan Athanasios of Kyrenaika, his representative to the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia; archimandrite Panteleimon (Arathymos), secretary of the Holy Synod of the Patriarchate of Alexandria; archimandrite Leonid (Gorbachev), representative of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia to the Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa; and Rev. Mikhail Asmus, DECR staff member.
After the meeting, the delegation of the Patriarchate of Alexandria visited the stavropegic Moscow Convent of the Protecting Veil, where His Beatitude Patriarch Theodoros II, together with Moscow clerics, said a thanksgiving prayer at the holy relics of St Matrona of Moscow. The Primate of the Orthodox Church of Alexandria prayed to St Matrona to intercede for the Churches of Alexandria and Russia, to grant strength to His Holiness Patriarch Kirill and to the hegumenness and sisters of the Convent.
Later that day the delegation arrived at the Representation of the Church of Alexandria in Moscow – the Church of All Saints in Kulishki. His Beatitude Patriarch Theodoros II venerated the shrines of the Church, greeted all those present, and noted the important role both Patriarchs play in maintaining and promoting fraternal relations between the Church of Alexandria and the Church of Russia by introducing each other to their church and national traditions.