The Patriarch of Moscow and all Russia, Alexius II, arrived in Strasbourg yesterday, the first stop of his visit in France. The Patriarch immediately visited the Catholic archbishop of the city, mgr. Jean-Pierre Grallet who dined with him along with the delegates of the Protestant communities. Then, the archbishop took Patriarch Alexius to the Cathedral of Strasbourg, where over one thousand people were waiting for him for a prayer and a concert of Russian church music. In his address, the Patriarch said: "In today’s world, every believer has a huge responsibility and a difficult mission, that of testifying their faith. It is a good thing that Catholic and Orthodox believers can join forces and work together. We can and we must assert the Christian values together, against refusal and indifference". "I honestly hope my stay in this country, my meeting with the bishops and the congregations of the Catholic Church in France will bear fruit and will boost dialogue between Catholic and Orthodox believers in Europe and in the world". Today at 12 the Patriarch will speak to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.
