On September 24, 2024, His Holiness Patriarch Abuna Matthias I of Ethiopia met with members of the Commission for Dialogue between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Ethiopian Church at the Patriarchal Residence of the Ethiopian Church in Addis Ababa, which met in Ethiopia on September 23-25.
Welcoming the delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church, His Holiness Patriarch Abuna Matthias asked to convey fraternal good wishes to His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, whose meeting in Moscow in May 2018, according to His Holiness, brought the interaction between the two Churches to the current high level. One of the manifestations of this is the work of the Commission for Dialogue between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Ethiopian Church. His Holiness Patriarch Abuna Matthias stressed the "historical nature of friendly relations between our Churches and peoples," expressing satisfaction with the way they are developing today.
Hieromonk Stefan (Igumnov) conveyed to the Primate of the Ethiopian Church the greetings of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia and Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk, Chairman of the Department for External Church Relations, thanking on behalf of the delegation for the hospitality and personal attention to the issues of bilateral dialogue.
The parties stressed the common commitment of the Russian Orthodox Church and the Ethiopian Church to the protection of Christian moral values and the importance of joint support for Christians in those regions where they are persecuted.
Members of the delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church spoke about the difficult situation of Orthodox believers in Ukraine, including in the context of the adoption of the law banning the activities of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. Patriarch Abuna Matthias declared the solidarity of the Ethiopian Church with the persecuted Ukrainian Orthodox brothers and sisters and the continued support of the Russian Orthodox Church from the Ethiopian Church.
Further, Archbishop Abuna Philippos of South Omo and Hieromonk Stefan (Igumnov) outlined issues related to the activities of the Commission on Bilateral Dialogue.
Abbess of the Martha and Mary Convent of Mercy in Moscow, Abbess Elisaveta (Pozdnyakova), drew attention to the "importance of developing monastic exchanges" that can bear good fruit due to the "proximity of the ascetic traditions of our Churches."
V.V. Kipshidze, Deputy Chairman of the Synodal Department for Church-Society and Media Relations, spoke about proposed joint church projects in the media sphere aimed at strengthening the voice of traditional Christian Churches in the world.
At the end of the meeting, the participants gave interviews to Ethiopian church and secular media.