WITH HIS enthronement next Sunday as patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church, Metropolitan Kirill, a prominent and politically astute priest known as a moderniser, will become the first patriarch inducted since the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991.
He takes charge at a time when the church enjoys wealth and political influence unmatched since the days of czarist Russia.
“It is with humility and full understanding of my responsibility that I accept the divine choice through which I am being handed the mission to serve as patriarch,” Kirill said after the results of a secret vote were announced on Tuesday. “At the centre of this mission is the cross of Christ.”
About 700 priests, monks and powerful laypeople gathered for the vote in Moscow’s iconic Christ the Saviour Cathedral, the hulking temple flattened under Josef Stalin and rebuilt in the 1990s as a potent symbol of the Orthodox Church’s resurgence.
A 62-year-old native of St Petersburg, Kirill had taken over as interim leader after the death last month of Patriarch Alexei II and was regarded as the most likely candidate to become the 16th patriarch. The long-time head of the denomination’s external relations, Kirill is expected to undertake some modest modernization within the conservative confines of the Orthodox Church.
"On the one hand, he's a remarkable preacher and theologist; on the other hand, he's a diplomat experienced in huge, bureaucratic work," said Sergei Chapnin, editor of the patriarchy's Church Guardiannewspaper.
“Today the Orthodox Church is not only a spiritual, but also a tremendous social force in Russia. The state cannot ignore the position of the church when we talk about the interests of its citizens.”
Most notably, hopes are high that the new patriarch may smooth tensions with the Roman Catholic Church. Alexei II avoided meeting the Pope and accused Catholic priests of trying to convert Orthodox believers.
Kirill has visited the Vatican and made some conciliatory remarks towards the Catholic Church. Despite general Orthodox wariness of Catholic intentions toward Russia, analysts believe he may look for common ground with Pope Benedict XVI.
Marginalised and infiltrated during long decades of anti-religious Soviet rule, the Orthodox Church has enjoyed increasing political clout under Vladimir Putin, Russia’s prime minister and former president. As Putin sought to reawaken patriotic pride among ordinary Russians, first as president and then in his current post, the church regained its bygone sense of empirical import and political sway.
Putin and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev have appeared at worship services and invited priests to flank them at photo opportunities. The church embarked on an ambitious campaign of building and restoring houses of worship across the land.
Analysts describe the relationship between Russia’s power elite and the church as one of mutual dependence: The Orthodox have managed to reclaim their lost status, while political leaders gain the legitimacy provided by the very public support of religious leaders. As Russia’s growing financial crisis raises the possibility of public discontent, the church could become even more crucial to maintaining political stability.