Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad Elected New Patriarch of Moscow
Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad has been elected the new head of the Russian Orthodox Church. The Council, which comprised clergymen, monks and laymen, announced on Tuesday the results of the voting for the post of Patriarch of Moscow and all Russia.
The Metropolitan has been temporarily in charge of the church since the death in December of Aleksy the Second.
Metropolitan Kirill had previously been head of the external church relations department. He also hosted a TV programme popular among Russian believers and viewed on one of Russia’s main television channels.
He was an active supporter of the reunification between the two branches of the Russian Orthodox Church, which was completed in May 2007. The son of a priest, Metropolitan Kirill was born in Leningrad, now St Petersburg, in 1946. After graduating from the seminary, he quickly climbed the church hierarchy. At thirty, he was promoted to Archbishop and in 1991 was given the title of Metropolitan.
Metropolitan Kirill was to become a close associate of Patriarch Aleksy and was among those who helped reunify the Russian Orthodox Church with its branch outside of Russia. Additionally, for almost twenty years Kirill acted as foreign spokesman for the Russian Orthodox Church.
One of the most charismatic church leaders in modern Russia - The Patriarch-elect's face is familiar even to nonbelievers since he appears frequently on TV and in interviews.
Now Kirill, the 16th patriarch, will have to answer the hopes of a much larger audience.
For our great lord His Eminence Metropolitan Kirill, His Holiness the Patriarch-elect of Moscow and All Russia, may the Lord grant him Many Years!
