During his visit to India on February 22-26, 2024, Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk, Chairman of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate, met with the Primate of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church, His Holiness Catholicos Basil Mar Thomas Matthew III.
Negotiations were held, during which the parties discussed issues related to the current state of relations between the Moscow Patriarchate and the Malankara Church of India.
The key role of personal contacts between the Primates of the Russian Orthodox Church and the Malankara Church in the development of these relations was noted.
Metropolitan Anthony conveyed to His Holiness Catholicos Basil Mar Thomas Matthew III warm greetings from His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia and thanked him for inviting the delegation of the Moscow Patriarchate to take part in the events on the occasion of the 1950 anniversary of the martyrdom of St. Thomas the Apostle.
The Primate of the Malankara Church warmly recalled his visit to Russia in September 2023 and the meeting with His Holiness Patriarch Kirill, during which, according to him, he felt the fullness of the brotherly love of the Russian Orthodox Church for Indian Christians.
The parties noted the effective work of the Working Group on the coordination of bilateral relations between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Malankara Church, in particular, the successful implementation of projects in a wide range of areas, such as cooperation in academic and media spheres, cooperation in the field of monasticism, social ministry and other areas.
The visit of Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk to India ended with negotiations with the Primate of the Malankara Church. Early in the morning on February 27, he left Cochin Airport for Moscow.
On the trip, Vladyka was accompanied by the DECR Secretary for Inter-Christian Relations, Hieromonk Stefan (Igumnov) and the DECR Chairman's secretary, Deacon Nikolai Vasin.