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| Orthodox Church enthrones leader | |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| The Russian Orthodox Church is enthroning its new leader at a ceremony in the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour in Moscow. | |
| Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad will become the 16th leader of the Church, succeeding Patriarch Alexiy II who died in December. | Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad will become the 16th leader of the Church, succeeding Patriarch Alexiy II who died in December. |
| He was appointed after a ballot of the Church Council in Moscow last week. | He was appointed after a ballot of the Church Council in Moscow last week. |
| Kirill, who is regarded as a liberal, has said the Orthodox Church could play a greater role in Russia. | Kirill, who is regarded as a liberal, has said the Orthodox Church could play a greater role in Russia. |
| Russian President Dmitry Medvedev was expected to be among the thousands of people attending Sunday's ceremony. | |
| Warmer ties | Warmer ties |
| BBC Religious Affairs correspondent James Landau says Kirill is a well-known face in Russia, having presented religious programmes on state television for some years. | BBC Religious Affairs correspondent James Landau says Kirill is a well-known face in Russia, having presented religious programmes on state television for some years. |
| He has also been the head of the Church's external relations department for the past 20 years and served as acting head of the Church after Alexiy II's death. | He has also been the head of the Church's external relations department for the past 20 years and served as acting head of the Church after Alexiy II's death. |
| Kirill's appointment was welcomed by Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and by the leader of the Roman Catholic Church, Pope Benedict XVI. | Kirill's appointment was welcomed by Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and by the leader of the Roman Catholic Church, Pope Benedict XVI. |
| The two Churches split in 1054 and relations have been strained, with the Orthodox Church accusing the Vatican of trying to win Russian converts following the break-up of the Soviet Union. | |
| But Kirill and the Pope have met each other several times, which could indicate a future warming of ties, says our correspondent. | But Kirill and the Pope have met each other several times, which could indicate a future warming of ties, says our correspondent. |