Posted on 01/27/2009 11:44:03 AM PST by Pyro7480
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.
Kirill has been temporarily in charge of the church since the death in December of Aleksy the Second.
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.
Kirill was an active supporter of the reunification between the two branches of the Russian Orthodox Church, which was completed in May 2007....
(Excerpt) Read more at russiatoday.com ...
Kirill served for years as the church's external relations chief. He is seen as a modernizer more likely than his rivals to seek a measure of independence from the state and better relations with the Vatican.
Orthodox ping!
Welcome new Shepard!
Congrats and blessings to our Russian Orthodox brothers and sisters!
It is this Roman Catholic’s fervent prayer that God continue to bless all the Orthodox Churches and, in his wisdom, continue to lead all Christians towards the greater, visible unity which best glorifies Him.
Catholic ping!
Orthodox Ping! AXIOS! EIS POLLA ETI DESPOTA!
+Kyrill is independent and not at all provincial. He is theologically sound. In my opinion, he’d be great for both intra-Orthodox relations and for relations with Rome
I looked it up: "Many years to you, Master!" I second that!
AXIOS!!
God Bless the Russian people!
God Bless all Orthodox Christians!
God Help us to unite all Christians!
Amen!
I wouldn’t count too much on him making any overtures to Rome. I seriously doubt that he is any more in favor of that than Patriarch Alexy.
Rome would have to make SERIOUS changes, and that isn’t likely.
From what I heard, he will be less of an obstacle to mutual understanding. We’ll see.
Being from St. Petersburg does he have a special relationship with V. Putin? This might be a good thing. God bless this new leader, let him guide his flock with faith and wisdom.
AXIOS!
Hope not.
I was really rooting for Metropolitan Yuvenaly...(I've met him and he has that extra special quality and would've been an excellent Patriarch I think) but sadly he came in 4th in the initial vote and wasn't a candidate for the final vote. At least with Metropolit Kirill we get a known entity and he will do a good job, imo...
Patriarch Kirill is far more intellectual than his fellow hierarchs and this was the reason for him to be elected.
Though, he's said to be a commandive person. That's probably a good thing since ROC's bishops are kings now in their dioceses.
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