The first meeting of the winter session of the Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church was held on October 6. The members thanked the Ukrainian authorities and bishops of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church for the visit of Patriarch Kirill in the summer and stressed the importance of "further efforts aimed to strengthen church unity and overcome destructive schisms."
As reports the website of the Moscow Patriarch, the agenda included a discussion of plans of work in the regions, various aspects of external church activity, the election of a new bishop of the ROC as well as a discussion regarding a document passed in July at a session of the Economy and Ethics Expert Council of the office of the head of the ROC.
Patriarch Kirill specially greeted the head of the Russian Church Abroad, Metropolitain Ilarion. "It is the first time that a high representative of the Church Abroad participates in the session of the synod. This shows that the process triggered by the signing of the Act of Canonical Communication is moving on and, with God's help, will continue to move on," noted Patriarch Kirill.