Day of enthronement of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus'

February 1 is the Day of Enthronement of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus'; January 27, 2009, the Local Council of the Russian Orthodox Church elected him to the Moscow Patriarchal Throne The ceremonial enthronement (enthronement) took place in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior on February 1, 2009 The Patriarch is the highest clergyman of the Russian Orthodox Church The Charter allows for the election of the Patriarch from bishops with a higher theological education, over 40 years of age, and with experience in diocesan administration The post is for life 20 years before entering the patriarchal rank, the Primate headed the Department for External Church Relations and was widely known not only among Russian believers Many unchurched citizens watched television programs with the participation of Metropolitan Kirill, listened to his philosophical speeches and heartfelt conversations, which continued after his elevation to the highest rank The Patriarch actively uses modern communication technologies to communicate with the laity On social networks on his personal pages, the Primate shares his thoughts, encouraging users of social accounts to engage in active dialogue about virtue and eternal human values The Patriarch has many responsibilities and concerns He is responsible for the well-being of the Russian Orthodox Church and represents it in relations with the State Strengthening church-state relations, to which His Holiness pays great attention, allows us to successfully solve problems that are of paramount importance for the Church and the State Among such tasks are mercy, charity, raising children, enlightenment, education, and the formation of family values Under his leadership, parish educational work became more focused, as a result, parishioners and those who come to the Temple only to perform the ceremony, paying tribute to fashion, begin to understand the true meaning of Baptism and Wedding, and approach the ceremony thoughtfully and consciously While engaged in the spiritual and moral education of the population, the Patriarch does not forget about pastoral ethics, reminding all church workers of the need for a friendly attitude towards all parishioners, towards those who cross the threshold of the Temple for the first time The Lord is a true peacemaker He seeks to establish connections between Christian organizations, organize Orthodox-Catholic cooperation in order to jointly resist violence and extremism, and together defend the Christian foundations of European culture The many honorary titles and academic degrees received even before entering the rank, and then during the period of patriarchate, are evidence of his education, wisdom, and philanthropy His service has been rewarded by the Russian Orthodox Church and various religious organizations But what is surprising is that back in 1988 he was awarded the Order of Friendship of Peoples - the State Award of Russia, and was awarded His Holiness and other state orders of Russia and foreign countries How not to be proud of such a Patriarch! God help us to hear, hear and heed the words of His Holiness