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More than quarter of votes for patriarch will come from Ukraine

KIEV METROPOLITAN VLADIMIR REJECTS PROMOTION OF CANDIDACY FOR PATRIARCHATE
Portal-credo.ru, 17 January 2009

"Today many conversations are going on about who will soon occupy the vacant patriarchal throne. Among possible candidates they are also talking about me, seeing in my person the successor of His Holiness Patriarch Alexis. However, while sincerely thanking them for such a great honor, I want to remain before God the 121st metropolitan of Kiev," Metropolitan of Kiev and all-Ukraine Vladimir declared on 17 January at a conference of the episcopate of UPTsMP and delegates to the local council of RPTsMP from Ukraine. Approximately a month ago Vladimir received an appeal from the Ukrainian episcopate requesting that he put forward his candidacy in the patriarchal election. As a Portal-credo.ru correspondent reports, the metropolitan added: "The 16th patriarch of Moscow and all-Rus will be that one whom God and your choice point to."

At the conference, held behind closed doors, the agenda of the upcoming local council of RPTsMP was reviewed and various suggestions were expressed on the part of delegates relative to changing the canonical status of the Ukrainian church. However, as the head of UPTsMP summarized, at the present time this church enjoys more independence than any other autonomous church and even some autocephalous ones. Since in the 18 years of its existence in such a status there has not arisen among the faithful of UPTsMP unanimity with regard to the question of its future status, Metropolitan Vladimir considers introducing any kinds of changes pointless.

At the same time, the question regarding Ukraine will turn out to be one of the central issues of the local council of RPTsMP since it will face the issue of confirming the decision of the Bishops' Councils of 1991 giving the Ukrainian church full administrative independence. Metropolitan Vladimir called for not refusing "open churchwide discussion" of the problem of autocephaly of the Ukrainian church and he suggested including in this process the best academic forces of Ukraine and Russia.

"It is necessary to recognize," the primate of UPTsMP noted, "that in hard, and at times brutal ecclesiastical confrontations taking place over two decades, we have not always had the possibility of conducting a dialogue with brethren who have fallen out of church fellowship at the appropriate theological level." Taking note of the stabilization of the religious situation in Ukraine, Metropolitan Vladimir acknowledged: "We all are tired of religious strife," and therefore "today we have all the bases for calmly and carefully analyzing the situation and trying to find the best model for overcoming church divisions in Ukraine."

Metropolitan Vladimir emphasized especially that UPTsMP has condemned on principle so-called "political Orthodoxy," and has distanced itself from any political forces, although it welcomes the attempt by politicians to help the church overcome the divisions on the condition that such help will not be accompanied by interference in the internal affairs of the church.

The chancellor of UPTsMP, Archbishop of Pereiaslavl-Khmelnitsy Mitrofan, produced statistical data pertaining to the Ukrainian participation in the local council. He said that of 720 delegates, 192 persons will represent Ukraine. (tr. by PDS, posted 19 January 2009)

KIEV PATRIARCH FILARET MAKES PREDICTIONS ON ELECTION OF NEW MOSCOW PATRIARCH
Portal-credo.ru, 16 January 2009

The resolution of the question of granting the Ukrainian Orthodox church autocephaly was officially referred for review to the local council of RPTsMP by the Bishops' Council of 1992, the head of UPTsKP Patriarch of Kiev and all-Rus-Ukraine Filaret Denisenko recalled in an interview of 15 January on Radio Liberty, a transcript of which was posted on the official site of the Kievan patriarchate. A corresponding request to the Moscow patriarchate was sent by the local council of the Ukrainian church that was held in Kiev 1-3 November 1991.

Patriarch Filaret expressed the hope that the question of the autocephaly of the Ukrainian church will still be included in the agenda of the local council, because if it is not that would mean that the decisions of the Bishops' Councils of RPTsMP have no force and will not be fulfilled.

Speaking about the prospects for the new patriarchate in RPTsMP, the head of the Kievan patriarchate expressed his conviction that the policies of the new Moscow patriarch will "depend on the Russian authorities," and in particular on "what kind of policies Russia will conduct with respect to Ukraine." Patriarch Filaret thinks that RPTsMP, although formally separated from the state, has never been independent in its external activity.

"UPTsMP has gradually separated from Moscow," Patriarch Filaret noted. "And the evidence of this separation is the acknowledgment of the Golodomor [Ukrainian famine--tr.] genocide. Moscow did not approve of that decision, but the Ukrainian episcopate adopted it." The head of the Kievan patriarchate thinks that yet another sign of the independence of the episcopate of UPTsMP is the promotion of Metropolitan Vladimir as a candidate for the Moscow patriarchate.

Characterizing his own relations with UPTsMP, Patriarch Filaret said:  "We now have normal relations. Although we do not find ourselves in a situation of official dialogue, but we have contacts."

Expressing his prediction relative to who will become the new Moscow patriarch, the head of UPTsKP declared: "I think that it will be Kirill or Kliment or some third person, but it necessarily will be a Russian bishop. Moscow will not permit a Ukrainian bishops to head the Russian church." (tr. by PDS, posted 19 January 2009)

UKRAINIAN DELEGATES TO LOCAL COUNCIL NOT ALLOWED TO WORSHIP IN HOLY WISDOM CATHEDRAL
Interfax, 18 January 2009

Kievan authorities forbade delegates to the upcoming local council from the Ukrainian church to hold a worship service in Holy Wisdom cathedral, the press service of Metropolitan of Kiev and all-Ukraine Vladimir reported.

"The refusal to provide the church of Holy Wisdom for a worship service, despite prior oral agreement between the church and state leadership and the prayers which resounded, testifies to the absence of good will on the part of the authorities and also of the levers of influence on the processes which occur in the national and religious spheres of the life of the Ukrainian people," the statement of the press service, published on the site of UPTs, says.

The authors of the document see in this "disrespect on the part of some government officials for the largest religious organization of Ukraine, the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox church," and also "unwillingness to resolve the question of overcoming schisms in Ukrainian Orthodoxy in a canonical manner."

In addition, the UPTs accused the authorities of "an absence of realistic action and steps to accommodate the Ukrainian Orthodox church."

On 17 January in Kiev there was a conference of delegates to the local council from the Ukrainian church who are going to Moscow for participation in the election of the new patriarch of Moscow and all-Rus.

As was earlier reported to a correspondent of Interfax-Religiia by the director of the Department of External Church Relations of the Ukrainian church, Archimandrite Kirill, "the goal of the assembly was to pray for the success of the upcoming council." The priest expressed the hope that participants in the conference will be permitted to conduct a liturgy in Holy Wisdom cathedral for "the first time since 1990." (At the present time it has the status of a museum.) (tr. by PDS, posted 19 January 2009)


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Ukrainian church asks Moscow council for change of status

SESSION OF HOLY SYNOD IN MOSCOW POSTPONED
Portal-credo.ru, 15 January 2009

The next session of the Holy Synod of RPTsMP has been postponed from 20 January to 23 January, a source in the Moscow patriarchate told a Portal-credo.ru correspondent. This session of the Holy Synod will present for review by the Bishops' Council, which begins on 25 January, three candidates for the patriarchal throne. At the same time, a group of permanent members of the Holy Synod has made an initiative to restrict the presentation to only one candidate.

In advance of these events, on 17 January the episcopate and elected delegates for the local council from the dioceses of the Ukrainian Orthodox church of the Moscow patriarchate will conduct their own council in Kiev. The primate of UPTsMP, Metropolitan Vladimir, has sent a request to Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko to make available the Holy Wisdom cathedral for this purpose. The central topic of the council will be a change in the status of the Ukrainian church and adoption of a corresponding appeal to the local council of RPTsMP.

The council in Moscow also is to review a letter from the local council of UPTsMP of 1991 regarding the establishment of canonical autocephaly of the Ukrainian church. (tr. by PDS, posted 16 January 2009)

LEADERSHIP OF UKRAINIAN CHURCH DENIES RUMORS ABOUT ATTEMPTS TO USE LOCAL COUNCIL FOR SCHISM
Interfax-religiia, 16 January 2009

There are no attempts in the Ukrainian church to separate from the Moscow patriarchate in the time leading up to the local council, the director of its Department of External Church Relations, Archimandrite Kirill Govorun gave assurances.  "Not in any case! This is all a politicization of the process and completely incorrect information, which is being spread with a goal of destabilizing the situation," he declared to a correspondent of "Interfax-Religiia on Friday.

The is the way he commented upon the words of a leader of the "United Fatherland" public organization, Valery Kaurov, saying that in the time leading up to the local council a number of persons in the Ukrainian church are planning "to advance a common candidature for the patriarchate from all of Ukraine, and if it does not go through at the local council, then to represent this as an offense against Ukraine to evoke among people a feeling of shame and on this emotional basis to unfurl a regular autocephaly campaign."

He also pointed to the idea of preparing a common document from the Ukrainian delegates to the local council, a "Jubilee declaration." According to Kaurov's information it is being prepared to embolden delegates from the Ukrainian church, which on 17 January will conduct a meeting in Holy Wisdom cathedral of Kiev. He stated that it "in essence proposes exclusion of Ukraine from the canonical territory of the Moscow patriarchate by means of affirming the idea about the necessity of drawing all local churches into the resolution of the question of the status of the church in Ukraine."

Meanwhile the representative of the Ukrainian Orthodox church declared that "there is no talk about adopting some kind of declaration."

According to Fr Kirill, on 17 January in the Kiev caves lavra there really will be a precouncil conference of delegates of UPTs to the local council.  In the course of the event, there will be a suggestion of a meeting of participants of the future council with Metropolitan of Kiev and all-Ukraine Vladimir, who will address them with greetings and farewell words.

"The goal of the meeting is to pray for the success of the upcoming council," Fr Kirill said, expressing the hope that participants in the conference will be permitted to conduct a liturgy in the Holy Wisdom cathedral, "for the first time since 1990." (At the present time it has the status of a museum.)

In addition, the head of the commission of the Ukrainian church for preparing for the council, Archbishop Mitrofan, will address the conference and describe the technical aspects of conducting the council.

"It is possible that some kind of document will be adopted, but there will be no declaration, much less one containing any kind of request pertaining to the canonical status of the Ukrainian church," the head of the Department of External Church Relations of UPTs emphasized. (tr. by PDS, posted 17 January 2009)


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Influential laymen delegated to Orthodox council for electing patriarch

MOSCOW TRINITY
Rector of the Sechenov Academy will represent the capital at the local council of RPTsMP
by Mikhail Moshkin
Vremya Novostei, 16 January 2009

The Moscow diocese determined who will represent the capital's clergy and laity at the local council of the Russian Orthodox church which will gather eleven days from now in order to elect the new patriarch. At the diocesan meeting, which was held on Thursday in the church of Christ the Savior under the chairmanship of Metropolitan of Krutitsy and Kolomna Yuvenaly (after the death of Patriarch Alexis II he became the administrator of Moscow's parishes), it was decided that three representatives would be delegated to the council, from among the priests, monks, and laity of the capital.

"Out of millions it was necessary to elect three," Master Yuvenaly addressed the assembly. "We wanted to elect those of whom no negative criticism or comments have ever been heard, in order that they may worthily represent every one."

At the meeting called to determine the most worthy persons, it was not millions but 420 persons who participated, rectors of churches, hegumens of Moscow's monasteries, and wardens of parishes of the capital. In the course of the open balloting, a troika of candidates chosen by Metropolitan Yuvenaly was supported by the clergy and laity practically unanimously.

As a result, from the clergy was elected the rector of the church of the Nativity of Christ in Ismailovo, Archpriest Leonid Roldugin, one of the oldest priests of Moscow. The monastics will be represented by Hegumen Damaskin Orlovsky, the priest of the church of the Protection of the Mother of God at Lyshchikov hill, a member of the synodal Commission on Canonization of Saints. The "secular" delegate is the rector of the Moscow Sechenov Medical Academy, the warden of the church of the Archangel Michael in the clinics on Deviche Field, Professor Mikhail Paltsev. Master Yuvenaly stressed that the director of the Sechenov Academy "is well known as an active Christian who helps in the treatment of many who go to him from the patriarchate and the clergy." Professor Paltsev took an active part in the restoration of the dilapidated church of the Archangel Michael, helps with its maintenance, and has been rewarded for his spiritual activity often with the personal attention and awards from Patriarch Alexis II. "It is honorable and correct for such people to participate in the local council for the election of the primate of the Russian Orthodox church," Metropolitan Yuvenaly instructed the delegate.

Moscow diocese is one of the last to nominate its representatives at the council: 15 January was the deadline established by the Holy Synod for election of delegates. The fact that not only clergy should participate in the council, but also laity, was established by the statute of RPTs adopted in 2000. A distinctive of the upcoming churchwide congress is that among the secular delegates a large percentage is made up of representatives of big business and government officials of various levels. Thus, for example, the Barnaul diocese nominated the president of the administration of the "Yunifarm" pharmaceutical company, Yury Nizhegorodtsev. The Donets and Mariupol diocese of the Ukrainian Orthodox church will be represented by the owner of "Donetskstala," Viktor Nusenkis, and the Tiraspol and Dubossarsk diocese sent to the council the businessman Oleg Smirnov, the son of the president of the unrecognized Transdniestra Moldovan republic, Igor Smirnov. Rostov diocese sent a State Duma delegate and member of the Committee on International Affairs, Ivan Savvida, and Kursk diocese, the deputy director of one of the departments of provincial administration, Alexander Shapovalov.

"In any case, there are not so many of such lay delegates. It is quite possible that at the next council there will be more of them," professor of the Moscow Ecclesiastical Academy, the famous Orthodox publicist Deacon Andrei Kuraev noted in a conversation with "Vremya Novostei."  "Roughly speaking, there are three groups of delegates from the laity," the newspaper's interlocutor explained. "First, there are those laymen who are dependant on the bishop (diocesan bookkeeper, attendant, etc.) of which there were many at previous councils in 1980, 1988, and 1990. The second circle is those persons upon whom the bishop himself depends, either sponsors or powerful government officials. For example, Omsk diocese originally nominated the provincial Governor Leonid Polezhaev (later he was replaced by the executive director of the foundation for the restoration of the Dormition cathedral church monument of history and culture of Omsk province, Viktor BazhenovÑed.) and in another case the delegate is the head of the tax inspection." The third group, according to Fr Andrei is the "most interesting." It includes, in particular, the delegates from Saratov and Moscow dioceses. In these cases the local clergy recognized that believers include not only "professional Orthodox persons," but also the enormous national resource and they nominated people who really are independent. "For example, the rector of the Moscow Medical Academy or the rector of the Agricultural Academy in Saratov," Fr Andrei gave as examples. "These are Orthodox people, but their activity is not in any way connected with the church, so they cannot but help the church seriously and not control it."

In Andrei Kuraev's opinion, it is such people who constitute the "healthiest portion of the representatives of the laity." As regards "Orthodox sponsors and oligarchs," Fr Andrei thinks that they may play a positive role at the council. "First, there are not so many of them; of the 150 seats for laity they are only about 15 persons," our informant stressed. "Such people, who are socially successful and well established, will be needed by the council since they are alien to the alarmist and apocalyptic moods with which some, primarily of the monks, will most likely contaminate the council." (tr. by PDS, posted 16 January 2009)

Russian original posted on Portal-credo.ru site, 16 January 2009.


WITHOUT EXCESS THEOLOGIANS
Church selects delegates who will elect patriarch
By Yulia Taratuta
Kommersant, 16 January 2009

Yesterday the selection of delegates for the local council, which will select the new head of the Russian Orthodox church, was completed. The last to select their electors was the Moscow clergy. The list of delegates has already amazed some of the priests. The weighty portion among them, as Kommersant has already reported, consists of representatives of the government and business. Dissatisfaction also has been evoked by the composition of electors from ecclesiastical seminaries; supporters of Metropolitan Kirill think that the list does not turn out to contain "ecclesiastical brains."

Yesterday the Moscow clergy decided the composition of the delegation to the local council, which will be held in the church of Christ the Savior from 27 to 29 January. We recall that every diocese will nominate a monk, priest, and layperson. The electors from the capital diocese are the rector of the parish of the Nativity of Christ in Izmailovo, one of the oldest priests of Moscow, Leonid Roldugin, and the priest of the church of the Protection of the Mother of God on Lyshchikov hill in Moscow, member of the synodal Commission on Canonization of Saints, Hegumen Damaskin. The rector of the Sechenov Medical Academy and warden of the church of Archangel Michael on Deviche Field, Mikhail Paltsev, was chosen as the delegate from the laity. Metropolitan of Krutitsy and Kolomna Yuvenaly, who presided over the meeting, described the achievements of this candidate. According to the metropolitan, the rector of the Sechenov Academy took "the most active part in the restoration of the decrepit church of the Archangel Michael, he decorated it, and he helps with its maintenance." "Besides this, he is well known as an active Christian who aids in the treatment of many who go to him from the patriarchate and clergy." Today the lists of electors will be sent to the mandate commission. Before the Bishops' Council and the local council, the hierarchs will gather for a session of the Holy Synod, which will be devoted to organizational questions. Chief among them is the day for the voting for the candidates for the patriarchal throne.

Yesterday the chancellor of RPTs, Metropolitan of Kaluga and Borovsk Kliment, called believers, the public, and the news media "not to project the secular election campaign onto the process of preparation for the election of the patriarch of Moscow and all-Rus." "We do not have fractions, parties, and divisions into groupings. Our church is one; we are all spiritually united. The theological base is one, the gospel is one, Christ is one." However, experts think, already the selection of delegates to the council shows that there are "parties" in RPTs (this refers to the supporters of the favorites, metropolitans Kliment and Kirill) and a real political struggle is being conducted between them.

We recall that one of the surprises of the choice of electors from the dioceses turned out to be the strong representation of government officials and businessmen who will be participants in the local council from the laity quota. How this will affect the voting, churchmen have a variety of opinions. On one hand, secular electors most likely will be oriented in voting to the preferences of their own delegations, and on the other hand, in the opinion of supporters of Metropolitan Kirill, these electors may neutralize the monastic distrust of the acting patriarch.

There also was an uproar over the nomination of delegates to the local council from the ecclesiastical seminaries. Thus the prorector of the Moscow Ecclesiastical Academy for Academic Theological Work, priest Vladimir Shmaly, and Deacon Andrei Kuraev demanded of the Holy Synod a discussion of the "crude procedural violations" in the choice of delegates at the conference in the Moscow Ecclesiastical Academy. Messrs. Shmaly and Kuraev called the election of delegates "a raider's seizure" and "real revolution" in the academy, which, in their opinion, was organized by Archbishop of Stavropol and Vladikavkaz Feofan and Archbishop of Tobolsk Dimitry "in the interests of one of the possible candidates for the patriarchate, Metropolitan Kliment." Fr Vladimir Shmaly reported that he was expelled from the meeting hall. And Fr Andrei Kuraev added that the procedure of election was turned into an actual designation of delegates. "The results of the violation of procedures in the election in the seminaries was such that among the delegates there will not be 'the church brains,' that is, electors from the academies. As a comparison, in 1917 there were 12 professors from academies, 11 professors from universities, plus one delegate from the Academy of Sciences. Now the electors will be unknown people without theological works, such as the deputy rector of Tobolsk University for Educational Work." In all, there are five delegates from ecclesiastical schools. However in the theologian's opinion "if these were famous and authoritative people their voice would be significant." "There are professors who have trained dozens of bishops." Supporters of Metropolitan Kirill have not expressed themselves publicly on the issue of the accusations, calling believers to ecclesiastical unity and observance of Christian morality.

The list of candidates for the patriarchal throne, according to the statute of ROTs, will be published no earlier than 25 January, the start of the Bishops' Council. By decision of the Holy Synod, by a preferential ballot the bishops will choose three candidates for the patriarchal throne, whose names will be presented for the vote of the local council. However, in RPTs it is not ruled out that the short list may undergo changes. Thus, in the preferential ballot the church seniors may triumph (for example, one of the authoritative ministers, Metropolitan of Kiev Vladimir, who already has been nominated by the Ukrainian Orthodox church of the Moscow patriarchate). However church people think their participation in the election is unlikely. The seniors may withdraw their own candidatures, calling supporters to vote for other candidates. In that case a new preelectoral configuration cannot be ruled out. Until the decision is made whether there will be a trio or a pair, a fourth winner in the preferential ballot could be raised to third place as a full blown candidate in the election. "That is, there may appear in the election a 'dark horse,' a candidate whose name is not now being mentioned as a real contender for the patriarchal throne," a Kommersant source in the church thinks. (tr. by PDS, posted 16 January 2009)

Russian original posted on Portal-credo.ru site, 16 January 2009


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Russian patriarch to be elected by believers of many nations

RUSSIAN CITIZENS CONSTITUTE LESS THAN HALF OF DELEGATES TO LOCAL COUNCIL
Interfax, 13 January 2009

It is possible that Russians will not constitute a majority at the upcoming local council, the Russian Orthodox church thinks.

"Citizens of the Russian federation will constitute, apparently, less than half (of delegates to the councilÑ"IF"), as far as I now can see and calculate," the vice-chairman of the Department of External Church Relations of the Moscow patriarchate, Archpriest Vsevolod Chaplin, said in a broadcast of the radio station "Russian News Service."

He noted that among the delegates already there now are residents of Australia, USA, and a number of countries of western Europe, representing a variety of nationalities. (tr. by PDS, posted 13 January 2009)

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Dukhobors migrate to Russia

RUSSIAN INTERNAL AFFAIRS MINISTRY THANKS GEORGIA FOR COOPERATION
Blagovest-info, 12 January 2009

The daily "Golovinsky prospect" has published the thanks of the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs to the Georgian side for cooperation and support in resettlement of Dukhobors into Russia. The site of the Department of Information and Press of MID says:  "Recently another 63 persons (31 families) returned to Russia. At the beginning of December 2008 a Russian interagency working group was sent into Georgia on the basis of informal agreements. It is necessary to note the constructive support provided to our specialists by the Georgian side, which permitted effective resolution of the practical issues of the transfer and shipment of the property of Dukhobors. The exit was conducted through Armenia, who authorities also provided all necessary cooperation." (tr. by PDS, posted 12 January 2009)

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Holy Synod suggests nominating three candidates for patriarch

METROPOLITAN KIRILL THINKS SECRET BALLOT BEST FOR ELECTING NEW PATRIARCH
Interfax, 12 January 2009

Acting Patriarch Metropolitan Kirill considers the best procedure for election of the sixteenth patriarch of the Russian church to be a secret ballot. 

"The Holy Synod recommended to the Bishops' Council to select three candidates for the patriarchal throne. In its turn, the local council also can nominate additional candidates. . . . It was suggested that the selection of candidates at the Bishops' and local councils and the election of the patriarch be conducted by secret ballot in order to guarantee that each person votes in accordance with conscience," the metropolitan said in an interview with the "Interfax-Religiia" portal.

As has been reported, the new primate of the Russian Orthodox church will be elected at a local council which will be held in Moscow 27-29 January.

The bishop believes that "the prayer of the council, supported by the prayers of the whole church, will open the hearts and minds of members of the local council to receive the infusion of the Holy Spirit." This is why it is so important, the metropolitan noted, "to maintain the purity of our hearts and intentions, so that suspicion and enmity will not destroy our inner peace and we can preserve our abilities to hear the voice of God."

"The actions of the council are first of all spiritual actions because through them the will of God is revealed to the church and the world," he said.

Referring to history, at the request of the agency, the metropolitan recalled that the first Russian patriarch, the holy prelate Job, was selected by the tsar from three candidates nominated by bishops. As well, his successors, the holy prelate Germogen and patriarchs Filaret and Ioasaf I, were chosen by the tsar's action.

In the twentieth century, the holy prelate Tikhon was chosen by lot at the local council in 1917. Subsequent patriarchs, Sergius, Alexis I, and Pimen, were elected by open voting. Patriarch Alexis II was elected by secret ballot from three candidates nominated by the Bishops' Council. "The years of ministry of the late primate confirmed the correctness of the election of that time and that it was conducted in accordance with God's will," the acting patriarch said.

The full text of the interview with Metropolitan Kirill will be published in the "Exclusive" section. (tr. by PDS, posted 12 January 2009)

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40-Day memorial for Patriarch Alexis II

METROPOLITAN KIRILL LEADS REQUIEM SERVICE FOR ALEXIS II FOR 40TH DAY AFTER MYSTERIOUS DEATH
Portal-credo.ru, 12 January 2009

The guardian of the patriarchal throne of ROTsMP, Metropolitan Kirill Gundiaev will conduct an evening requiem [Rsn: parastas] on 12 January on the eve of the 40th day since the death of Patriarch Alexis II in the Epiphany cathedral such of Moscow, where the 15th primate of RPTsMP is buried.

As the press service of the Moscow patriarchate told RIA Novosti, the worship service will begin at 17.00.

On the next day, 13 January, Metropolitan Kirill and Metropolitan of Krutitsy and Kolomna Yuvenaly, who with the death of Alexis II became the administrator of Moscow parishes, will perform the liturgy and requiem at the sepulcher of  Alexis II in Epiphany cathedral. The liturgy will begin at 9.30.

As reported earlier, the circumstances of the death of Alexis II remain unclear. In particular, the exact time of his death has not been established, medical bulletins about its cause have not been published, no eyewitnesses who saw the face of the dead patriarch have been forthcoming, and there has circulated among church people information about severe injuries on the body that was placed into the grave on the day of the death of the head of RPTsMP. (tr. by PDS, posted 12 January 2009)


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