The Head of the Metropolitan District Took Part in a Joint Session of the Holy Synod and the Supreme Church Council

25 December 2025. Moscow. In the Patriarchal Hall of the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour, under the chairmanship of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus’, a joint session of the Holy Synod and the Supreme Church Council of the Russian Orthodox Church was held.

Members of the Supreme Church Council, Metropolitan Kirill of Stavropol and Nevinnomyssk, Chairman of the Synodal Committee for Cooperation with the Cossacks and Chairman of the Synodal Department for Cooperation with the Armed Forces and Law Enforcement Agencies, as well as Priest Kirill Markovsky, Chairman of the Synodal Department for Prison Ministry, took part in the meeting via video link.

The Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church addressed those present with a welcoming address.

The meeting heard the following reports: a report by Metropolitan Gregory of Voskresensk on the activities of the Administrative Affairs Office of the Moscow Patriarchate; a report by Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk on the activities of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate; a report by Metropolitan Kliment of Kaluga and Borovsk on the activities of the Publishing Council of the Russian Orthodox Church; a report by Archpriest Maxim Kozlov on the activities of the Educational Committee of the Russian Orthodox Church; a report by Metropolitan Nicander of Vladimir and Suzdal on the activities of the Financial and Economic Administration of the Moscow Patriarchate; a report by Metropolitan Theognost of Kashira on the activities of the Synodal Department for Monasteries and Monasticism; a report by Metropolitan Evgeny of Yekaterinburg and Verkhoturye on the activities of the Synodal Department for Religious Education and Catechesis; a report by Archpriest Mikhail Potokin on the activities of the Synodal Department for Church Charity and Social Ministry; a report by Archbishop Savva of Zelenograd on the activities of the Synodal Missionary Department; a report by Metropolitan Kirill of Stavropol and Nevinnomyssk on the activities of the Synodal Department for Cooperation with the Armed Forces and Law Enforcement Agencies; a report by Bishop Seraphim of Istra on the activities of the Synodal Department for Youth Affairs; a report by V.R. Legoida on the activities of the Synodal Department for Church Relations with Society and the Media; a report by Priest Kirill Markovsky on the activities of the Synodal Department for Prison Ministry; a report by Metropolitan Kirill of Stavropol and Nevinnomyssk on the activities of the Synodal Committee for Cooperation with the Cossacks; a report by Metropolitan Tikhon of Simferopol and Crimea on the activities of the Patriarchal Council for Culture; a report by Abbess Ksenia (Chernega) on changes in legislation.

Each report was followed by discussion.

Summing up the results of the meeting, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill said: «I sincerely thank everyone for taking part in today’s session of the Holy Synod and the Supreme Church Council. I wish each of you God’s help in your respective ministries, so that Orthodoxy may be strengthened in the life of our people and in the life of our country, and that all our Church institutions may worthily carry out their service, bearing in mind the most important goal – the spiritual education of our people, which is closely connected with the salvation of human souls. May the Lord preserve us all on this path».