Background
Kirill, Patriarch was born on November 20, 1946 in Leningrad, Russia.
Patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church
Kirill, Patriarch was born on November 20, 1946 in Leningrad, Russia.
Degree of Candidate of Theology, Leningrad Theological Seminary and Academy, 1970. Doctor (honorary), Reformed Theological Academy, Budapest. Doctor in Political Sciences (honorary), University Perugia, Italy, 2002.
Tonsured by Metropolitan Nikodim of Leningrad and Novgorod, 1969. Ordained hierodeacon, 1969. Ordained hieromonk, 1969.
Appointed personal secretary to Metropolitan Nikodim, 1970. Representative, Russian Orthodox Church SYNDESMOS General Assembly, 1971, member executive committee. Elevated to the rank of archimandrite, 1971.
Appointed representative, Moscow Patriarchate World Council Churches, Geneva, 1971, member central, executive committees Nairobi, Kenya, 1975, representative, plenary commission, 1976. Rector Leningrad Theological Schools, 1974. Chairman Leningrad Diocesan Council, 1975.
Appointed Bishop of Vyborg, Assistant Bishop the Leningrad Diocese, 1976. Deputy Patriarchal Exarch, We. Europe, 1976—1978; caretaker, Patriarchal parishes in Finland.
Transferred to the See of Smolensk, 1984. Chairman department external church relations, permanent member The Holy Synod, 1989. Elevated to the rank of metropolitan, 1991.
Acting head Russian Orthodox Church, 2009, patriarch of Moscow and all Russia, since 2009. Participant 1st Pre-Council Pan-Orthodox Conference, Geneva, 1976, Orthodox-Catholic Dialogues, 1978, 80, 84.
Member of St. Petersburg Theological Academy (honorary).