World Council of Churches (WCC) acting general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Ioan Sauca visited Moscow this week, meeting with H.H. Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and all Russia, and representatives from the largest WCC member church.

WCC acting general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Ioan Sauca speaks in the introduction to a thematic plenary focused on Europe, at the 11th Assembly of the World Council of Churches, held in Karlsruhe, Germany from 31 August to 8 September, under the theme "Christ's Love Moves the World to Reconciliation and Unity", Photo: Albin Hillert/WCC

Sauca focused on follow-up to the WCC 11th Assembly and in particular on the assembly public statement on the Russia Ukraine war.

The visit took place on request from the WCC central committee, and is part of a series of visits that has already included the Middle East, Lebanon, Syria, Palestine, Israel, Ukraine, and now Russia meant to build bridges of peace and reconciliation through encounters and dialogues and to avoid military conflicts, wars and violence.

The programme also included a visit to the Moscow Church Center for Assistance to Refugees, and discussions with representatives from the Moscow Theological Academy.

Sauca was joined by Rev. Dr. Benjamin Simon, WCC programme executive for Church Relations and accompanied by Fr Mikhail Gundiaev, the Russian Orthodox Church’s representative to the WCC.

Statement from the WCC 11th Assembly “War in Ukraine, Peace and Justice in the European Region”

WCC assembly statement calls for global ceasefire, renewed commitment to peace

WCC Central Committee Statement on the War in Ukraine

SOURCE>WCC