Metropolitan Filaret Feted in Moscow

One of the oldest hierarchs of the Russian Orthodox Church – Metropolitan Filaret was feted in Moscow on March 21st. In honor of the 75th anniversary of the Patriarchal Exarch for All Belarus Filaret Patriarch Cyril presented the hierarch with the symbols of episcopal dignity made by experts of jeweller's art. 12 bishops and about two thousand parishioners took part in the Divine Liturgy at the Cathedral of the Redeemer.

One of the oldest hierarchs of the Russian Orthodox Church – Metropolitan Filaret was feted in Moscow on March 21^st. In honor of the 75^th anniversary of the Patriarchal Exarch for All Belarus Filaret Patriarch Cyril presented the hierarch with the symbols of episcopal dignity made by experts of jeweller's art. 12 bishops and about two thousand parishioners took part in the Divine Liturgy at the Cathedral of the Redeemer.

The solemn event was also attended by the State Secretary of the Union State Pavel Borodin, Deputy State Secretary and member of the Union State Standing Committee Sergey Shukhno, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Belarus to the Russian Federation Vasili Dolgolev.

Presidents Alexander Lukashenko and Dmitri Medvedev sent Metropolitan Filaret congratulatory telegrams.

Patriarch Cyril read out the letter of congratulation as well as the Decree on awarding the right to minister with the processional cross within the Belarusian Exarchate for great services to the Russian Orthodox Church and in view of the 75^th anniversary of Metropolitan of Minsk and Slutsk Filaret, the Patriarchal Exarch for All Belarus.

When congratulating the hero of the anniversary, the Patriarch recalled that the greater part of Metropolitan Filaret’s ministry fell on difficult Soviet years. He noted that the hierarch had always performed his ministry with "the dignity and goodness so characteristic of him," and that he has headed the Belarusian Orthodox Church as the Patriarchal Exarch for more than 30 years now. Patriarch Cyril stressed that Metropolitan of Minsk and Slutsk Filaret applies every effort in order to develop "fruitful cooperation of the Church with the temporal authorities of Belarus, with men of science, education and culture as well as with the representatives of charitable and public organizations."

The hierarch thanked the bishops and everyone who came to the Cathedral of the Redeemer, and noted that the event was especially dear to him as it was taking place in his hometown.