ISTANBUL, July 6 (RIA Novosti) - The head of the Russian Orthodox Church, currently on a visit to Istanbul, said on Monday the inauguration of a Russian church on the grounds of the Russian Consulate General was a historic event.
Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople consecrated the restored St. Constantine and Helen Church and held the first liturgy in the building on Monday.
The two church leaders held prayers at St. George Cathedral in both Russian and Greek on Sunday.
"This is a historic event. And it was pleasing to God that the opening of this church coincided with our brotherly meeting - so that the two patriarchs could hold a divine service together," the Russian patriarch said.
Kirill, who arrived in the country on Saturday, thanked the Greek patriarch for his "blessing to resume services in this church."
The St. Constantine and Helen church was built in 1832, on the territory of the summer residence of the Russian embassy located on the shore of the Bosporus. After the 1917 revolution, it was closed. Three years ago it housed boiler plants, but following large-scale restoration work the church was reopened.
Patriarch Bartholomew thanked Patriarch Kirill for his first visit as head of the Russian Church to the senior patriarchate of the Greek Orthodox Church.
"During this visit we renewed our relations, discussed issues of common interest and made a pledge to each other that our churches will contribute to the further development of inter-Orthodox relations just as God himself wishes," he said.
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