Senior members of Russia’s Orthodox Church will gather in Moscow today, to choose a new patriarch from a shortlist of three, according toeuronews.
Tipped as favourite, Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad is the interim leader, an accomplished diplomat known to many due to his weekly television broadcasts.
His main rival is said to be Metropolitan Kliment of Kaluga and Borovsk, while Metropolitan Filaret of Minsk and Slutsk is the third candidate to make the shortlist for one of Christianity’s most important positions.
The successor to Alexiy II, who died last month, will have to navigate tricky political waters.
He will have to decide how close relations with the Kremlin will be, in a time of political and economic uncertainty.
A result from the vote is expected by Thursday.
