Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad, 62, has been elected the new Patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church. There were 711 delegates from various countries, laity and clergy alike. It is being reported the new patriarch received 508 of 677 valid votes.
The Russian Orthodox Church is the second largest Christian body in the world with more than 165 million adherents in Russia and beyond.
Patriarch Kirill succeeds Patriarch Alexy II who died on 5 December 2008 who was elected in 1991 to be the head of the Russian Church.
Born in St Petersburg, into a priest's family, Kirill was ordained a priest in 1969. He served as rector of the St Petersburg seminary. He is regarded as one of the most open of the Russian Orthodox bishops to the West.
Before his election as patriarch, Kirill headed the Church's department for external relations.
May God grant Patriarch Kirill many years!
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