Bishop Mark of Yegoryevsk temporarily appointed as chief of Moscow Patriarchate Department for External Church Relations

Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Kirill has ordered Bishop Mark of Yegoryevsk to temporarily perform the duties of the head of the Moscow Patriarchate Departmet for External Church Relations. The Patriarch announced the decision at a meeting on Wednesday with the staff of the Department, which he had led for almost 20 years prior to being elected as the Patriarch.

Bishop Mark has served as the deputy chief of the Department for the past few years.

"I will never be able to strike the 20 years of my life out of my memory, this is why the Department for External Church Relations, the people who work here, and the agenda of this institution will always be close to my heart and will have an important place on my own agenda," the Patriarch told the assembled staff.

Source: Interfax religion