Still on his official trip to Estonia, His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew visited the Holy Cathedral of St. Alexander Nevsky of the Russian jurisdiction in Tallinn this morning, Saturday September 7, 2013, received at the entrance to the Church by His Eminence Metropolitan Cornelius and his clergy.

After attending the Divine Liturgy, His All-Holiness met with His Eminence Metropolitan Cornelius and his colleagues, briefly expressing – in the presence of His Eminence Metropolitan Stephanos of Tallinn and All Estonia – his wish for the commencement soon of bilateral direct communication between the two aforementioned Metropolitans, which would contribute to the timely and definitive resolution of the so-called Estonian problem. His All-Holiness assured him that, on the part of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, there is always a spirit of sincerity and goodwill, while the same attitude is necessary also on the part of the Russian Church so that the well-known difficulties might be overcome.

Afterward, the Patriarch visited the Holy Cathedral of St. Symeon in Tallinn, where he addressed a pastoral greeting to the clergy of the Autonomous Church of Estonia during the clergy assembly organized for this purpose. His All-Holiness paternally exhorted the clergy always to conduct themselves with obedience and dedication to the venerable Center of Orthodoxy, the Ecumenical Patriarchate. Subsequently, at the invitation of the Patriarch, the two Metropolitan members of the Patriarchal entourage, His Eminence Geron Athanasios of Chalcedon and His Eminence Methodios of Boston, addressed the gathered clergy.

At noon, the Patriarch sat down to lunch with the local clergy and their families at the Euroopa Hotel, organized by the parish of St. Symeon the God-receiver.

Early that afternoon, His All-Holiness presided over Vespers Service in the same Church, commemorating the Birth of the Theotokos and addressing the large congregation with particular reference to the institution of the family. Also in attendance was His Excellency Konstantinos Katsambis, Ambassador for Greece in Estonia. Prior to Vespers, on behalf of the Sacred Synod of the Church of Estonia, His Grace Bishop Elias of Tartu addressed His All-Holiness, while at the conclusion of the service the Patriarch read a special prayer for the sanctification and illumination of the numerous children present at the Church.

Later, the Patriarch visited the Lutheran Cathedral of St. Mary the Virgin in Tallinn (Dome Church) in order to participate in an ecumenical service organized by the Estonian Council of Christian Churches, where he responded to the address by the President of the same Council, His Eminence the Lutheran Archbishop Andres Pŏder. In attendance, among others, were His Eminence Archbishop Leo of Karelia and All Finland, who had just arrived together with His Grace Bishop Arsenios of Joensuu, as well as Their Excellencies, the Ambassadors of Greece and Finland. There ensued a meeting between the Patriarch and the heads of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, during which there was an exchange of opinions on the development of the dialogue between the two Christian traditions and the positive relations and cooperation among them on the local level.

Immediately afterward, in the same Lutheran Cathedral, His All-Holiness attended a special concert in his honor with musical pieces of the renowned composer, both nationally and internationally, the Hon. Arvo Pärt. At the conclusion, the Patriarch briefly addressed the large audience.

In the evening, His All-Holiness was a guest at a formal dinner prepared in his honor by His Eminence Metropolitan Stephanos of Tallinn at the Administrative Center of the Autonomous Church of Estonia.