wfn.org | WCC NEWS: New Russian Orthodox patriarch with ecumenical commitment

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World Council of Churches - News Release

Contact: +41 22 791 6153 +41 79 507 6363 media@wcc-coe.org

>For immediate release - 28/01/2009 12:48:48

RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH ELECTS NEW PATRIARCH WITH LONG-STANDING
ECUMENICAL COMMITMENT

In a letter congratulating Metropolitan Kyrill of Smolensk and
Kaliningrad on his election as the new patriarch of the Russian
Orthodox Church, World Council of Churches (WCC) general
secretary Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia expressed the appreciation of the
worlwide ecumenical fellowship for this "outstanding Orthodox
theologian, leader and hierarch". "We give thanks for your
friendship and companionship in the area of inter-Christian
relations and we pray that your commitment to the dialogue, deep
knowledge of the present ecclesial and ecumenical developments
and challenges, and critical, yet constructive attitude will
strengthen the relationships between the divided churches and
their common witness within a world in search of values," Kobia
wrote.

"We recognize the church leader who has played an important role
in the realm of inter-religious dialogue and international
relations and we pray that the Patriarch of the Russian Orthodox
Church will continue to speak to the world openly and
courageously, frankly and caringly, promoting and defending the
human person, every human person, created in the image and
likeness of God", the letter dated 28 January continues.

The 62-year-old Kyrill was elected with an overwhelming majority
of votes at a 27 January meeting of the church's local council,
which is made up of more than 700 priests, monks and laypeople
representing each diocese and foreign mission of the Russian
Orthodox Church. 

Kyrill had headed the external relations department of the
world's largest Orthodox church for almost 20 years. He also
served as permanent representative of the Moscow Patriarchate to
the WCC in the 1970s and as member of the WCC Executive and
Central Committees – the Council's governing bodies int the years
between its assemblies – from 1975 to 1998.

Kobia also announced he will be attending the 2 February
ceremony during which Kyrill will be installed as the successor
to Moscow Patriarch Alexy II, who had headed the church from 1990
until his death on 5 December 2008.

>Full text of the letter:
>http://www.oikoumene.org/?id=6574

>Russian Orthodox Church: 
>http://www.mospat.ru

Additional information:Juan Michel,+41 22 791 6153 +41 79 507
6363media@wcc-coe.org

The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith,
witness and service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical
fellowship of churches founded in 1948, today the WCC brings
together 349 Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican and other churches
representing more than 560 million Christians in over 110
countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman Catholic
Church. The WCC general secretary is Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia, from
the Methodist Church in Kenya. Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland.