Metropolitan Hilarion made professor of the University of Fribourg, Switzerland

Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, head of the Moscow Patriarchate’s department for external church relations, has been elected professor of the University of Fribourg, Bogoslov.ru has reported.

His Eminence Hilarion has been elected to this high academic post by the decision of the Faculty of Theology and the election has been approved by the Rector’s Office.

In accordance with the legislation of the Canton of Fribourg, the decision to elect Metropolitan Hilarion as professor has been considered and approved by the Fribourg State Council.

The University of Fribourg, in which over 10 000 students study today, is one of the leading universities in the Swiss Confederation and the only university in the country to teach both in French and German. Its Faculty of Theology is one of the major academic centres in Europe today. It has maintained special friendly relations with the Russian Orthodox Church for several decades.

The official statement about Metropolitan Hilarion’s election was made on February 7 (January 25 in the Julian calendar) – the day when the Church celebrates the memory of St. Gregory the Theologian, the patron saint of Metropolitan Hilarion until his tonsure. St. Gregory’s writings were the subject of several scientific studies made by the future metropolitan.

DECR Communication Service