English

Retired Patriarchal Exarch Filaret leaves hospital

Metropolitan Filaret, honorary patriarchal exarch of all Belarus, was discharged from hospital on January 17, reported the official website of the Belarusian Exarchate of the Russian Orthodox Church.

On January 18, Metropolitan Filaret visited the Minsk office of the Belarusian Exarchate and met with his successor, Metropolitan Pavel, greeting him on the Epiphany and wishing him God’s help in his ministry, the report said.

Metropolitan Pavel, for his part, expressed joy that the state of the metropolitan’s health had improved.

On January 19, Metropolitan Filaret conducted a liturgy in the Church in Honor of All Belarusian Saints on Vyzvalennya Street in Minsk.

The media reported that the 79-year-old metropolitan was ill on January 5, when he failed to attend a service at the Holy Spirit Cathedral in downtown Minsk.

At a meeting held in Moscow on December 25, the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church accepted the resignation of Metropolitan Filaret and appointed Metropolitan Pavel to succeed him as patriarchal exarch to Belarus.

Metropolitan Filaret had handed in his resignation, citing his intention to retire because of his old age.

Metropolitan Filaret was born Kirill Vakhromeyev in Moscow on March 21, 1935. He graduated from the Moscow Spiritual Seminary and Moscow Spiritual Academy. He was appointed patriarchal exarch to all Belarus and metropolitan of Minsk and Slutsk in February 1992. In 2006, Metropolitan Filaret was awarded the title of Hero of Belarus. //BelaPAN
ф