Vatican welcomes choice of new Russian patriarch

Wed Jan 28, 2009
By Philip Pullella

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Pope Benedict Wednesday welcomed the Russian Orthodox Church's choice as new patriarch of a man seen as a modernizer who may usher in a thaw in difficult relations with the Vatican.

Metropolitan Kirill, 62, the acting head of the world's second-largest Church since the death last month of Patriarch Alexiy II, won 508 out of 677 valid votes cast in a secret ballot Tuesday.

The pope said he hoped Kirill would help lead the two Churches to full unity following the historic break of the eastern and western Churches in 1054. the rest image

Russian Orthodox Church Elects Outspoken Patriarch