Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and all Russia, after landing at the airport in Chisinau, said the major goal of his visit to Chisinau is to pray for the present and the future together with the people of this country. At the airport, the Patriarch was met by Metropolitan Bishop of Moldova Vladimir and the Guard of Honor, IPN reports.

“There must be a dialogue between the government, the elite and the people so that there are no contradictions and confrontations and that the national development corresponds to the spiritual base established in Moldova by a number of generations. I think that the divine power and compassion will help the people to overcome the faced problems. We will pray with all our heart for this country, for the people of Moldova and the Russian Church. We are a large orthodox family and we are united by the feeling of solidarity and love. We are together through good and bad,” the Patriarch said in a press briefing at the airport.

After making statements for the press, the Patriarch went to the State Residence, where he will have a meeting with President Nicolae Timofti. Afterward, he will take part in a ceremony that will be he held to mark the 200th anniversary of the foundation of the Bishopric of Chisinau, at the National Palace “Nicolae Sulac”. The Patriarch will then meet with ex-Premier Vlad Filat, who heads the Liberal Democratic Party of Moldova. In the evening, he will go to the Capriana Monastery, where he will officiate at a service at the grave of Metropolitan Bishop Gavriil Banulescu-Bodoni.

Patriarch Kirill was met at the airport also by protesters. Young members of the organization “Actiunea-2012” and of the Union Council staged a protest near the monument to ruler Stephan the Great and then continued it at the airport. The participants chanted “Kirill, Bessarabia is not yours”, “Kirill, persona non-grata in Moldova”, “Kirill, go home” etc.

“We are against this visit because the Patriarch came to spread pro-Russian propaganda, especially given that the Church is the institution that enjoys the greatest trust in Moldova. Kirill comes to influence and to promote pro-Russia ideas,” said one of the protesters. The protesters also said that the Patriarch does not recognize the sovereignty, independence and authentic identity of the second Romanian state.

Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and all Russia will stay in Moldova until September 9.