Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia conducts the Orthodox Christmas service at the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour in Moscow, Russia, January 6, 2022. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov
The Russian Orthodox Church’s head, Patriarch Kirill of Moscow, has tested positive for COVID-19, according to the Church’s press agency on Friday.
The Church stated that Kirill, 75, had canceled all of his planned visits and engagements due to “serious symptoms” that required bed rest and isolation. It stated that his condition was “satisfactory.”
Under Kirill, a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin and supporter of the war in Ukraine, the Russian Orthodox Church has become a powerful political player, championing Russia’s turn towards conservative social values.
