Bishop of Vienna and Austria Hilarion designated as the President of the Foreign Affairs Department in the Moscow Patriarchate
(
31.03.2009
)
At the day of March 31st, in Saint Daniel’s Monastery was held the first session of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church, under presidency of the 16th Head of the Russian Orthodox Church - the Patriarch of Moscow and all Russia Cyril.
According to the words of Patriarch Cyril, at today’s session of the Holy Synod were discussed matters connected to the Church activities in the period between the two last sessions, some personnel solutions have been brought, and the reports for the performance of particular synod department have been examined, as well.
With Resolution of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church, the Bishop of Vienna and all Austria Hilarion, has been released from administering of the Vienna-Austrian and Hungarian Eparchy and was designated as Bishop of Volokolamsk, vicar of the Patriarch of Moscow and all Russia, and as a permanent member of the holy Synod by duty.
The temporary administration of the Vienna-Austrian and Hungarian Eparchy has been entrusted to the Bishop Mark of Egoriev.
Regarding the designation of Bishop Hilarion as President of the of the Foreign Affairs Department he was also released from the duty Administrator of the Representative Mission of the Moscow Patriarchate in the European International Organisation in Brussels.
In addition, with a Resolution of the Holy Synod from the day of March the 31st, 2009, as deputies of the President of the Foreign Affairs Deptartment have been designated arch-priest Nicolas Balashov and priest George Riabih.
In the domain of the work of arch-priest Nicolas Balashov will be placed the issues that are related to the Inter-Orthodox relationships.
