Cardinal, leading Russian Orthodox official hold prayer service before Crown of Thorns in Paris (Moscow Patriarchate)

Cardinal Kurt Koch, president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, joined Metropolitan Hilarion, the chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations, in an Eastern-rite prayer service at the Church of Saint-Germain-l’Auxerrois, and together venerated the Crown of Thorns.

The meeting marked the sixth anniversary of the historic Joint Declaration of Pope Francis and Patriarch Kirill, signed during their meeting in Havana.