From October 13 to 20, the temporary administrator of the Patriarchal Deanery of the Russian Orthodox Church in Turkmenistan made an archpastoral visit. Archbishop Feofilakt's visit, marked by a number of significant events, once again reaffirmed the deeply rooted principle of interfaith peace and the state's commitment to tolerance.

The Archbishop celebrated services in the cities of Mary, Bayramaly, and Tejen, as well as in several churches in Ashgabat. The trip began with a large-scale celebration of the 125th anniversary of the Church of the Intercession in Mary, where clergy from across the country gathered for communal prayer.The significance of this event underscores the deep historical roots of Christianity in Turkmenistan. This fact was also supported by the pilgrimage of the clergy to the ancient city of Egekovak, where, according to researchers, a Christian community existed as early as the 1st century AD.

A key moment of the visit, symbolizing harmony and good-neighborliness, was Archbishop Feofilakt's meeting with Mufti of Turkmenistan, Yalkap Khodjaguliyev. The discussion of strengthening friendly relations and mutual understanding between traditional religious communities took place in a spirit of respect. The Archbishop, in turn, congratulated the Mufti and all believers on the upcoming International Year of Peace and Trust—the 30th anniversary of Turkmenistan's neutrality.

As part of humanitarian cooperation, the Archbishop also met with ambassadors of Russia and Belarus, Ivan Volynkin and Stanislav Chepurny, discussing cultural and humanitarian cooperation.

The Archbishop also met with Paweł Janusz Kubiak, Administrative Attaché of the Apostolic Nunciature in Turkmenistan, on the grounds of St. Nicholas Church in Ashgabat.

Feofilakt's visit was given a special tone by the presentation of new holy relics to the country's parishes, which was a spiritual gift for the Orthodox community.

The visit clearly demonstrated that tolerance and interfaith dialogue in Turkmenistan are not simply a foreign policy slogan, but rather a living, historically established cultural code.

The country's ability to ensure peaceful coexistence and active interaction between religious communities—from Orthodox to Muslim—is a direct embodiment of the policy of humanism, peace, and neutrality established at the state level.

Source: Pyatigorsk and Circassian Diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church

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