Orthodox Churches

Patriarch Kirill: Pan-Orthodox Council is called to show the unity of Orthodoxy to the world

On February 2, 2015, addressing the Bishops’ Conference, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, spoke about the process of preparations for a Pan-Orthodox Council to take place in 2016 in Constantinople. He reminded the bishops of the stance expressed by the Russian Orthodox Church at the 2013 Bishops’ Council that all the Pan-Orthodox Council should make all its decisions ‘exclusively by consensus of all the Local Churches, not by a majority of votes’ (Par. 60, Decisions).

Ecumenical Patriarch delivers keynote address on Theosis in Leuven

From January 29 - February 1, 2015, His All-Holiness visited the Holy Metropolis of Belgium in response to an invitation to deliver the keynote address at the Catholic University of Leuven's conference on "Christian Doctrines of Divinization East and West." The other addresses were delivered by the former Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, Bishop Johan Bonny of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Antwerp, Professor Martin Laird OSA of Villanova University, Professor Ivana Noble of Charles University in Prague and Professor George Pattison of the University of Glasgow.

The President of Romania on a visit to the Romanian Patriarchate

On 30 January 2015, His Excellency Mr Klaus Werner Johannis, President of Romania paid a visit to the Romanian Patriarchate at the invitation of His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel.

The President of Romania attended the Divine Liturgy celebrated in the Patriarchal Cathedral on the feast of the Three Saints Hierarchs: Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian and John Chrysostom.

Russia Orthodox Church celebrates 6th anniversary of Patriarch’s enthronement

Yesterday, Divine Liturgy was celebrated in the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour to honor the sixth anniversary of Patriarch Kirill’s enthronement.

“If good relations between the church and the state are developing today not only in Russia but throughout the canonical space of the Moscow Patriarchate, it is not because the church has gained some leverage over the government and the state, but because there has become more Orthodox people among politicians and important public figures,” RIA Novosti quotes Kirill as saying.

Presidium of the Russian Orthodox Church Inter-Council Presence holds its session

On 29 January 2015, a plenary session of the Inter-Council Presence opened in the Hall of Church Councils at the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour under the chairmanship of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia.

The session began with the prayer said by archpriest Vladimir Divakov, the Patriarch’s secretary.

The Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church addressed the members of the Inter-Council Presence, calling them to active discussion. He underscored the important role played by this advisory body in assisting the church governance and said:

Metropolitan Hilarion blesses construction site of future students’ compound of Moscow Conservatoire

On January 27, 2014, Metropolitan Hilarion, in his capacity of member of the Board of Patrons of the Tchaikovsky Moscow State Conservatoire, blessed the construction site of the MSC modern campus. The ceremony of the laying of a symbolic capsule with a message to the posterity took place in anticipation of the 150th anniversary of the renowned school.