Patriarch of Jerusalem Gives Audience to Russian Pilgrims

Patriarch Eirinaios of Jerusalem and Palestine gave an audience to a large group of Orthodox Christian pilgrims from Russia on Saturday. He asked them to convey his "warmest greetings and his blessing" to President Vladimir Putin and Patriarch Alexis II of Moscow and All Russia.

There is a special relationship between the Orthodox Churches of Jerusalem and of Russia, His Beatitude Eirinaios said. "It is a great joy for us to have Russian pilgrims, who come along to pray for peace," he emphasized.

The Russian pilgrims presented Patriarch Eirinaios and the Greek Orthodox Church in Jerusalem with an icon painted for the occasion. It represents Christ the Redeemer and some of the most revered Orthodox saints.