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| Russia bids farewell to patriarch | Russia bids farewell to patriarch |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| The funeral of the late head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Alexiy II, is taking place in Moscow's Cathedral of Christ the Saviour. | The funeral of the late head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Alexiy II, is taking place in Moscow's Cathedral of Christ the Saviour. |
| Russian media are broadcasting the service live and have cancelled entertainment programmes at the request of President Dmitry Medvedev. | Russian media are broadcasting the service live and have cancelled entertainment programmes at the request of President Dmitry Medvedev. |
| Alexiy II, who had led the Church since the last days of the Soviet Union, died last Friday at the age of 79. | |
| He had presided over a revival of the Church's influence in Russian society. | He had presided over a revival of the Church's influence in Russian society. |
| After the service, the late patriarch's body will be taken for burial to the Cathedral of the Epiphany, in the east of the Russian capital. | After the service, the late patriarch's body will be taken for burial to the Cathedral of the Epiphany, in the east of the Russian capital. |
| Huge respect | Huge respect |
| Moscow police say 80,000 people filed past Alexiy II's open coffin as it lay in the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour ahead of the funeral. Double life of patriarchRussia pays tribute to patriarch | Moscow police say 80,000 people filed past Alexiy II's open coffin as it lay in the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour ahead of the funeral. Double life of patriarchRussia pays tribute to patriarch |
| The numbers speak of the huge respect and authority which he commanded. | The numbers speak of the huge respect and authority which he commanded. |
| Clergy from across the Orthodox Christian world travelled to Moscow for the ceremony, which Russia's political leaders were also expected to attend. | Clergy from across the Orthodox Christian world travelled to Moscow for the ceremony, which Russia's political leaders were also expected to attend. |
| The Cathedral of Christ the Saviour is a striking symbol of the Russian Church's resurgence under Alexiy II's leadership. | The Cathedral of Christ the Saviour is a striking symbol of the Russian Church's resurgence under Alexiy II's leadership. |
| It was blown up by the atheist Soviet authorities in the 1930s, then rebuilt in the 1990s after the collapse of Communism. | It was blown up by the atheist Soviet authorities in the 1930s, then rebuilt in the 1990s after the collapse of Communism. |