Patriarch Kirill wishes new DECR head "firmness and prudence"

The first working meeting between Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia and the newly appointed Chairman of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate, Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk, took place at the Patriarchal residence in the Danilov Monastery in Moscow on June 10, 2022, reports patriarhia.ru.

Patriarch Kirill noted that the post, which the hierarch assumed, is connected "with a very complicated agenda" and wished the head of the Department of External Church Relations of the Russian Orthodox Church "firmness in decision-making. Of course, if firmness alone is not always a good thing, firmness should be accompanied by prudence’.

As reported, Metropolitan Anthony (Sevruk) was appointed the head of the DECR by the Synod held on June 7, 2022. Prior to his appointment, Metropolitan Hilarion (Alpheyev) had held this position since 2009.

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