MOSCOW: January 27, 2009
Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad Elected New Patriarch of Moscow

On the evening of January 27, 2009, the results of the election of the new Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia were announced. The Local Council [Pomestny Sobor] elected His Eminence Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad as the head of the Russian Orthodox Church.

As reported by the Chairman of the Counting Committee, His Eminence Metropolitan Isidor of Ekaterinograd and Kuban, 702 delegates to the Council participated in the secret balloting. Of the ballots, 677 were deemed valid, 23 were invalid.

Metropolitan Kirill received 508 votes, while His Eminence Metropolitan Kliment of Kaluga and Borovsk, Administrator of the Moscow Patriarchate, received 169 votes.

The delegates to the Council applauded upon the announcement of the new Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church.

Press Service of the Local Council/Patriarchia.ru