The Orthodox Church in America represented at the World Summit of Religious Leaders

His Beatitude, Metropolitan Herman represented The Orthodox Church in America at the World Summit of Religious Leaders in Moscow, Russia, along with Archimandrite Zacchaeus [Wood], rector of the OCA Representation Church, St. Catherine the Great Martyr; and Archdeacon Alexei Klimitchev of St. Tikhon’s Monastery, South Canaan, PA.

MOSCOW, RUSSIA [OCA Communications] — On Tuesday, July 4, 2006, His Beatitude, Metropolitan Herman, attended the World Summit of Religious Leaders in Moscow sponsored by the Russian Orthodox Church and the Interfaith Council of the Russian Federation at the President Hotel here.

Religious leaders representing various faiths from numerous countries from throughout the world spoke on the role of faith and religion in modern society, protection and assertion of spiritual and moral values in modern society and the responsibility of religions for it; ways of overcoming terrorism and extremism, education, the need for fostering the values of family, human life and equality of the sexes; respect for religious feelings and everything that is held sacred in religious traditions; morality in economics, overcoming poverty, the role of mass media, natural resources of the planet, responsibility for the environment; challenges of the infectious diseases epidemic, drug addiction, proliferation of mass destruction weapons, dialogue and partnership of civilizations, problems involved in the globalization and world order; dialogue of religious communities with politicians, all civil society structures and international organizations.

Accompanying Metropolitan Herman in the official OCA delegation at the Summit were Archimandrite Zacchaeus, Representative of the OCA to the Moscow Patriarchate and Dean of the Representation Church of the Great Martyr Catherine, Moscow, and Archdeacon Alexei Klimichev, archdeacon to His Beatitude. Also attending the gathering as a representative of the World Conference of Religions for Peace was the Very Rev. Leonid Kishkovsky, rector of Our Lady of Kazan Church, Sea Cliff, NY, and a member of the OCA Office of External Affairs and Interchurch Relations.