Bishop Hilarion becomes Moscow Patriarchate Department for External Church Relations Chief
On Tuesday, the Holy Synod “unanimously approved Bishop Hilarion as chairman of the DECR, Patriarchate spokesman priest Vladimir Vigilyansky told reporters after the meeting.
“He will now being transferred to Moscow from abroad,” the spokesman said.
Archpriest Nikolay Balashov, Patriarchate secretary for relations with other Orthodox Churches, and priest Georgy Ryabykh, acting secretary for liaison between the church and public, were appointed deputy chairmen of the Department for External Church Relations.
The Bishop Mark of Yegoryevsk, a former deputy chairman of the DECR, was appointed Patriarchate secretary for the church’s institutions abroad. Priest Antony Ilyin was put in charge of the church’s relations with European international organizations.
