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May 14, 2018 – The Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church has begun its session at the historic building of the Sacred Governing Synod in St. Petersburg. It is chaired by His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia.

Opening the session, the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church addressed himself to the Holy Synod members with introductory remarks:

‘I greet all the members of the Holy Synod at its regular session in the historic building in St. Petersburg, in which the Sacred Governing Synod used to assemble in the Russian Empire.

In these walls, the fate of the Russian Orthodox Church was decided, hierarchs were elected and, remarkably, we have an opportunity to use these facilities because, through the work in this building, we have a certain spiritual link with the past, stressing the continuity of what was accomplished in the Russian Orthodox Church regardless of historical epochs.

On today’s agenda we have items concerning the current work of our Church. We will consider the opening of some monasteries; make decisions on the nomination of bishops and many other matters.

I am glad to see you all – permanent and summoned members of the Synod’.

The permanent members of the Holy Synod are Metropolitan Onufry of Kiev and All Ukraine; Metropolitan Juvenaly of Krutitsy and Kolomna; Metropolitan Vladimir of Kishinev and All Moldova; Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan, head of the Metropolitanate in the Republic of Kazakhstan; Metropolitan Vikenty of Tashkent and Uzbekistan, head of the Metropolitanate of Central Asia; Metropolitan Varsonofy of St. Petersburg and Ladoga, chancellor of the Moscow Patriarchate; Metropolitan Pavel of Minsk and Zaslavsk, Patriarchal Exarch for All Belarus; Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, head of the Department for External Church Relations.

Summoned for the summer session (March-August) are Metropolitan Lazar of Simferopol and Crimea, Metropolitan Mark of Ryazan and Mikhailovsk, Archbishop Matfey of Anadyr and Chukotka, Bishop Alexander of Daugavpils and Rezekne, Bishop Nestor of Korsun.

Patriarchal Press Service

DECR Communication Service