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Today marks the 9th anniversary of the enthronement of Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia. In the morning, the Primate held а celebratory liturgy in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, during which he was assisted by more than 200 bishops from different countries. And then, he was personally congratulated by President Vladimir Putin. The Patriarch also met with Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev.
Dmitry Kaistro will talk about what the Primate discussed with the highest officials of the state.
Vladimir Putin came to the Cathedral of Christ the Savior to congratulate the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church on the enthronement, the appointment as Patriarch. It's symbolic that Putin congratulated the Primate in the main Cathedral of the country where 9 years ago, a ceremony of installation, as it's called in the church language, of the new head of the Russian Church took place.
Enthronement is a huge event in the life of the Russian Orthodox Church. Therefore, an all-church celebration is held every year on the enthronement anniversary. Many important events took place in the life of the church the Patriarch governs last year. The main is the Sobor which was also attended by Vladimir Putin. The President thanked the Patriarch for holding the Sobor over tea.
Vladimir Putin: I congratulate you and thank you for holding this event, which is important in the country's life, and for holding it with such success and results.
Patriarch Kirill: Thank you.
Vladimir Putin: Thank you very much.
Patriarch Kirill: We hope it'll strengthen the existence of the Russian Church and consolidation and health of the whole society because the Sobor was also aimed at a dialog, cooperation with all public forces for the prosperity of our country.
Special festive liturgies are held today in all the Russian Orthodox Church cathedrals. Many hierarchies and churchmen took part in the liturgy in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior. They congratulated their Primate on the great holiday.
Patriarch Kirill: I heartedly thank you for all your prayers, for praying together with me in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior on the 9th anniversary of my Patriarchal service, where the Patriarchal enthronement took place.
This day, of course, has many meanings for me. Last year alone, Patriarch Kirill held 200 liturgies, blessed 20 cathedrals and went on 23 trips around the episcopates.
Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev wished the Patriarch the success in serving the Russian Church and Russia. On this special day, the Head of the Government came to congratulate the Russian Church Primate.
Dmitry Medvedev: I want to express my hope for saving these special relations that we acquired during your service.
Patriarch Kirill: We have common goals and targets. We have a desire to work together. That's who the relations between the Church and the State formed in modern Russia.
On the eve of the celebration, the Patriarch asked the capital's clergy not to give him presents on the 9th anniversary of the enthronement, but to buy an ambulance car for the Saint Alexius Hospital.
Dmitry Kaistro, Anna Tsimaylo, Anna Medvedeva, and Yury Gonchar, Vesti