The Archbishop of Canterbury met for the first time with His Holiness Kirill, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, amid what Lambeth Palace acknowledged are ‘tensions’ between Russia and the UK. Earlier, Welby and the Bishop of London were present as the Queen hosted the Patriarch at Buckingham Palace. The relationship between the two churches has endured for more than three centuries. The two men discussed the persecution of Christians around the world, especially in the Middle East. In a statement they acknowledged that tensions currently exist between the governments of their two countries, but they agreed that the first loyalty of the Christian Church is to the Lord Jesus Christ, and they affirmed that reconciliation is the key ministry of the Church in situations of conflict.