Yesterday, the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church appointed archbishop Hilarion (Alfeyev) president of the Department for External Relations of the Patriarchate of Moscow and, under such appointment, permanent member of the Synod. So far, archbishop Hilarion has been an ordinary of the Russian Orthodox dioceses in Austria and Hungary and a representative of the Patriarchate of Moscow to the European institutions in Brussels. Bishop Hilarion takes on the post that, during Alexius II’s Patriarchate, had been filled by the current Patriarch Kirill. The spring session of the Holy Synod – which was hosted by the Monastery of Saint Daniel in Moscow – was the first synodal assembly chaired by Patriarch Kirill and was convened mostly to decide on the composition of the staff who will help the new Patriarch run the Patriarchate. The administration of the Orthodox diocese in Austria and Hungary was temporarily entrusted to bishop Marc Egorievsk, appointed during the same meeting of the Holy Synod, the secretary of the Patriarchal Registry for Overseas Schools. While the management of the representation of the Patriarchate of Moscow to the European institutions was entrusted to archpriest Antoine Ilin. Father Nicolas Balachova and Father Riabykh Georges were appointed deputy presidents of the Department for External Relations.
© SIR