- Reset +

President Ilves met with Alexius II, the Patriarch of Moscow and All-Russia

01.07.2008

President Toomas Hendrik Ilves met with Patriarch Alexius II in Moscow yesterday, with whom he had an in-depth discussion about Estonia and Russia.

“It was meeting with a warm, sincere, and very spiritual person, who furthermore is very knowledgeable about events in Estonia—the country of his birth,” President Ilves said. “If there are problems between countries, people still associate and mutual understanding is very good.”

President Ilves spoke with Patriarch Alexius about his possible visit to Estonia. Alexius II confirmed that he wishes to visit his homeland, emphasizing his interest in paying a visit to the Kuremäe Convent.

As a gift, President Ilves gave Alexius II a picture of the house where he and his parents lived in Tallinn until the fall of 1940. The Estonian Head of State also delivered four letters that were written by the mother of Alexius II to her husband, which were found in the attic of the house by the current owners.

Office of the President
Public Relations Department
Phone +372 631 6229