On 24th May 2026, the news broke that the Czech Republic police had detained a hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church – retired Metropolitan Hilarion (Alfeyev), who serves at the Church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul in Karlovy Vary. The Synodal Department for Church’s Relations with Society and Mass Media states the following regarding Metropolitan Hilarion’s detention.

26.05.2026

Moscow Patriarchate’s Delegation Attends Celebrations Marking Enthronement of New Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia

18.05.2026

Archpriest Andrei Novikov responds to court ruling of Patriarchate of Alexandria

17.05.2026

Representative of Russian Church Attends Patronal Celebrations at Church of “Unexpected Joy” Icon of the Mother of God in Zahlé, Lebanon

17.05.2026

Representatives of Russian Orthodox Church Take Part in Plenary Session of Strategic Vision Group “Russia – Islamic World”

17.05.2026

Kazan Seminary hosts special session of “Russia – Islamic World” Strategic Vision Group

15.05.2026

DECR Staff Member Takes Part in Conference on Sport, Education and Spirituality: Integrating Physical and Spiritual Development

13.05.2026

Greek-language edition of book The Reunification of the Kiev Metropolis with the Russian Orthodox Church. 1676–1686. Research and Documents presented in Moscow

06.05.2026

Council of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia takes place in Germany

05.05.2026

Conference takes place in Vilnius on 680th anniversary of the Cathedral of the Most Holy Mother of God

05.05.2026

Archbishop Damaskinos of Joppa Presided over the Liturgy at the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission Compound in Jaffa

05.05.2026

The Head of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission Celebrated the Patronal Service at the Mission’s Compound in Jericho

05.05.2026

A Festive Divine Service Was Celebrated at the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant under Construction in Turkey

05.05.2026

The IX Children’s Creativity Festival “Bright Pascha” Concluded in Buenos Aires

05.05.2026

A Memorial Service Was Served at the Grave of a Russian Volunteer of the Anglo-Boer War in South Africa

05.05.2026

A Representative of the DECR Took Part in an All-Russian Scientific and Practical Conference in Makhachkala

05.05.2026

Representatives of Theological Schools of the Serbian Orthodox Church Spoke at a Scientific Conference at the Kuzbass Theological Seminary

05.05.2026

Celebrations Dedicated to the 100th Anniversary of the German Diocese Took Place

04.05.2026

The Russian Ambassador Took Part in Commemorative Events Marking the Anniversary of NATO Airstrikes on Yugoslavia

04.05.2026

Representatives of the Malankara Church Attended the Celebrations on the Occasion of the Commemoration Day of Holy Blessed Matrona of Moscow

03.05.2026

Bishop Kirill of Sergiev Posad and Dmitrov Met with Hierarchs of the Malankara Church Who Had Arrived in Russia

02.05.2026

The Fifth Round of Theological Consultations Between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Coptic Church Took Place in Egypt

02.05.2026

Delegation of monks and nuns from the Moscow Patriarchate completes pilgrimage to Egypt.

30.04.2026

Episcopal Council of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia opens.

30.04.2026

Metropolitan Mark Met with the Ruling Bishop of the Diocese of the Romanian Orthodox Church in Madrid

29.04.2026

Insights

Ukraine as a testing ground for a new Unia: threats and ways to overcome them

A report by Metropolitan Luka of Zaporozhye and Melitopol at the conference "The Influence of the Patriarchate of Constantinople on the Fate of Orthodoxy in Ukraine," organized by the Center for Russian Studies at the Faculty of Political Sciences, University of Belgrade.

23.10.2024

The struggle of the Moscow Patriarchate for Russian monastic presence on Mount Athos in the 1960s – early 1970s

03.10.2024

The Extreme Inconsistency of the Behaviour of Patriarch Bartholomew

Protopresbyter Ioannis K. Diotis. Theologian, social commentator, writer and publisher. Recipient of awards from the Academy of Sciences of Athens for his activities.

25.12.2023 • Reviews

Pyrrhic victory of the Ukrainian authorities: the fight against the Ukrainian Orthodox Church

Article by Vakhtang V. Kipshidze, vice-chairman of the Synodal Department for Church’s Relations with Society and Mass Media

16.11.2023 • Reviews

Establishing Autocephaly: The Canonical Aspect

18.10.2023 • Reviews

Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus'

The Church’s communication with the world external to her is a special but integral part of Orthodox mission. This ministry is not always the direct proclamation of the Word of God. However, it helps millions of people to see Orthodoxy from various viewpoints and also to come to feel the beauty and power of Orthodoxy.

News

#Unity of the Russian Church

Clergy of four West African countries concelebrate with Patriarchal Exarch of Africa at Divine Liturgy in Côte d’Ivoire’s capital

23.04.2026

UN experts express concern over the escalation of legislative and administrative measures against the Estonian Orthodox Christian Church

23.12.2025

Video

Metropolitan Hilarion: it is our duty to preserve God's creation.

HIERARCH

Will the Orthodox have their own "Pope"?

How one Ukrainian bishop had gone into a schism

Liturgy at sub-zero temperatures: the body is cold, but the heart is hot

Metropolitan Hilarion: The Lord entrusted us with the Church that has existed for a thousand years

Patriarch

Department Chairman

Interorthodox relations

Interchristian contacts

Interfaith dialog

Unity of the Russian Church

Holy Synod Members Celebrate Memorial Litiya for Catholicos-Patriarch Ilia II and Metropolitan Antony (Cheremisov)

Metropolitan Anthony Met with the Ambassador of the Republic of Peru to Russia

DECR chairman sends Easter greetings to Primates of Local Orthodox Churches

News

Moscow Patriarchate’s Delegation Attends Celebrations Marking Enthronement of New Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia

DECR Staff Member Takes Part in Conference on Sport, Education and Spirituality: Integrating Physical and Spiritual Development

The Head of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission Celebrated the Patronal Service at the Mission’s Compound in Jericho

Representatives of Theological Schools of the Serbian Orthodox Church Spoke at a Scientific Conference at the Kuzbass Theological Seminary

The Fifth Round of Theological Consultations Between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Coptic Church Took Place in Egypt

Insights

Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus'

Archpriest Andrei Novikov responds to court ruling of Patriarchate of Alexandria

Raiders Seized the St. Michael Church of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in the Village of Bezuhlivka During Bright Week

Schismatics seize UOC church in Shchaslyve village near Kiev

Celebrations take place in Zurich marking 90th anniversary of Holy Resurrection Parish

Clergy of four West African countries concelebrate with Patriarchal Exarch of Africa at Divine Liturgy in Côte d’Ivoire’s capital

8th Children’s Easter Festival takes place in Paris

Funeral held in Nigeria for Christians, including parishioners of Russian Orthodox Church, killed by Islamists

Heads of Christian Churches in Syria meet to discuss the situation of Christians in the country

UN experts express concern over the escalation of legislative and administrative measures against the Estonian Orthodox Christian Church

Video