NEW YORK: March 8, 2009
The First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad Meets with the Administrator of the Patriarchal Parishes in the US

March 5, 2009, His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion, First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, met with His Grace Bishop Mercurius of Zaraisk, Administrator of the Patriarchal Parishes of the Moscow Patriarchate in the United States, at the former’s Synodal residence. During their meeting, they discussed a number of issues relating to cooperation between the parishes of the ROCOR and the Moscow Patriarchate in the US. Details were worked out on the forthcoming Paschal celebrations and a procession of the cross on Bright Saturday. Metropolitan Hilarion invited Bishop Mercurius to participate in the services on the Sunday of the Triumph of Orthodoxy. Also participating in the meeting were His Grace Bishop Jerome of Manhattan, Vicar Bishop of the Diocese of Eastern America and New York and Deputy Secretary of the Synod of Bishops, and Hegumen Joseph (Kriukov), Secretary of the Administrator of the Patriarchal Parishes in the US.