Patriarch Kirill Presented to Ukrainian President Highest Award of the Russian Orthodox Church
Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych is meeting Patriarch Kirill of Moscow in Crimea. According to the presidential press service, the head of the state welcomed the patriarch on the Ukrainian soil.
At the beginning of the meeting, the head of the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) presented to the Ukrainian president the highest award of the ROC, the Order of St. Prince Volodymyr Equal-to-the-Apostles of the 1st degree for "attention in the work to strengthen Orthodoxy in Ukraine and for the occasion of his 60th birthday."
Patriarch Kirill noted that it is the highest award of the ROC, presented exclusively to patriarchs and heads of states. "I am glad that for the occasion of your so significant anniversary I had the opportunity in the first year of your presidency to hand this award to you as a sign of the ROC's deep respect for you and your work," said Patriarch Kirill.
