Patriarchal Exarch of All Belarus Metropolitan Benjamin assisted Patriarch Kirill on the anniversary of his enthronement
11:47, 2 February
The day before, the Russian Orthodox Church prayerfully commemorated the 17th anniversary of the enthronement of His Holiness Kirill, Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus'. On this day, prayers were offered in all churches and monasteries for the Primate of the Church, elected at the 2009 Local Council.
Patriarch Kirill himself led the Liturgy at the Cathedral of Christ the Savior. Fifteen metropolitans co-served with His Holiness, including Metropolitan Veniamin of Minsk and Zaslavl, Patriarchal Exarch of All Belarus; Metropolitan Gregory of Voskresensk, Administrator of the Moscow Patriarchate; and Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk, Chairman of the Department for External Church Relations.
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Numerous faithful, clergy from Moscow and the Moscow region, employees of synodal institutions, abbesses of monasteries, and teachers and students of theological schools prayed in the church. The liturgical hymns were performed by the choir of the Christ the Savior Cathedral, the clergy choir of the Moscow Metropolitanate, and the Vsekhsvyatsky male choir from Minsk. The Patriarchal service was broadcast live on the Soyuz and Spas television channels, as well as on the official website Patriarchia.ru.
This year's celebration coincided for the first time with the commemorative date established by the Holy Synod in October 2025—the Council of the Venerable Fathers, the founders of monasticism, and all the saints who shone forth in the land of Egypt—giving the day additional symbolic significance.
