News & Events in Belarus

MOSCOW, 22 November (BelTA) – Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko and Russia President Vladimir Putin arrived in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior where they will congratulate Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Kirill on the 70^th anniversary, BelTA has learned.

The presidents will take part in the official ceremony and give presents to the Patriarch. It is expected that Alexander Lukashenko will deliver a congratulatory speech.

Patriarch Kirill celebrated the 70^th anniversary on 20 November. The celebrations began on 18 November from the opening of the exhibition Son of the Church. Kirill is the 16^th Patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church. He became the patriarch on 1 February 2009. The Patriarch Kirill noted that 5,000 churches have been built, and the number of priests has increased by 10,000 over 7 years. The number of dioceses went up from 159 to 296, the number of bishops – from 200 to 361.