Moscow - New Leader Enthroned in Russian Orthodox Ceremony

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Enthronment Ceremony

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The Russian Orthodox Church has enthroned its new leader at a ceremony in the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour in Moscow.

We were saddened by the death of the succeeding Patriarch Alexiy II, who had passed away in December.

Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad became the 16th leader of the Church (shown in photo at ceremony)

Kirill is regarded as a liberal and has many contemporary views. He is well known in Russia and has been on various religious programs in the last few years. On social issues however, such as abortion and homosexuality, he remains conservative.

 Patriarch Kirill has been in charge of the Church's external relations department for the past 20 years and has served as acting head of the Church after Alexiy II's death before official enthronement.

This means that he has established relationships with other Christian leaders that may be usefull in the coming years. 

Perhaps a reconsiliation will surface since Kirill and the Pope have been in contact several times . The two churches had a falling out and split in 1054 when the Orthodox Church accused the Vatican of trying to convert Russians in the after math of the separtation of the Soviet Union.