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On 8th December 2020, an on-line session of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church took place under the chairmanship of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia.

The Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church participated in the meeting remotely, from the Patriarchal residence in Peredelkino.

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill addressed the Holy Synod members with an opening speech.

As was proposed by His Holiness, the participants in the meeting sang ‘Memory Eternal’ to all those hierarchs, monastics and clergy who had died from the coronavirus infection.

The list of permanent members of the Holy Synod includes: 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 Metropolitan area in the Republic of Kazakhstan; Metropolitan Vikenty of Tashkent and Uzbekistan, head of the Metropolitan area of Central Asia; Metropolitan Varsonofy of St. Petersburg and Ladoga; Metropolitan Veniamin of Minsk and Zaslavsk, Patriarchal Exarch for All Belarus; Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations; and Metropolitan Dionisy of Voskresensk, chancellor of the Moscow Patriarchate.

Invited to participate in the winter sessions (September – February) were Archbishop Aksy of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk and Kurily; Bishop Yefrem of Borovichi and Pestovo; Bishop Alexy of Buzuluk and Sorochinsk; Bishop Simon of Shakhty and Millerovo; and Bishop Milety of Roslavl and Desnogorsk.

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On 8th December 2020, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill participated in the Holy Synod’s session remotely, from the Patriarchal residence in Peredelkino. His Holiness was in the hall, where the Holy Synod historically held its sessions. Hanging on the walls there are portraits of all Patriarchs of the Russian Orthodox Church, starting from Patriarch Job of Moscow and ending with the current Primate. In this hall, on 6th December 2008, Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad was elected Locum Tenens of the Patriarchal Throne by secret ballot of the Holy Synod members.

Press Service of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia/

DECR Communication Service