- Your Eminence, one hundred days have passed since the enthronement of Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia. What has changed in church-society relations since? Have any new tendencies emerged? - Ascended to the throne of the Moscow Patriarchate is a man who has been known for many years as a missionary and enlightener. He has long been in active cooperation with all parts of the civil society, conducting a TV program of his own and making regular appearances in the print media. Even before he was elected Patriarch, he was known and loved by millions of Russian Orthodox faithful throughout the world. He has gained authority in broad public circles. A unique experience Metropolitan Kirill accumulated during his work at the Department for External Church Relations and through his close cooperation with the late Patriarch Alexy II has fully prepared him for the new role he assumed upon his election to the Moscow Patriarchal throne. But the most important thing is that he is a man who is absolutely committed to the Church; there is no private agenda for him. He has put down all his abilities and talents at the feet of Christ, as St. Gregory the Theologian put it.

Le site « Patriarchia.ru » a publié une interview de Mgr Hilarion, président de la direction des relations extérieures du patriarcat de Moscou à l’hebdomadaire «Expert» (« Эксперт»). Cette publication est intitulée « Notre mission dans le monde ». Les sujets traités sont nombreux:le bilan des premiers cent jours du patriarcat de l’ex métropolite Cyrille. Le patriarche, conscient de la nécessité d’établir des passerelles entre l’Eglise et « la société civile » tient à simplifier le cheminement vers l’écclésialisation parachevée du néophyte qui franchit pour la première fois le seuil d’une paroisse et se sent souvent rejeté…Il est indispensable de mieux mobiliser les laïcs à la mission.

St Vladimir’s Seminary Chancellor, Archpriest Chad Hatfield, Dean Emeritus, Protopresbyter Thomas Hopko, and Dean, Archpriest John Behr, attended the world premiere of the English setting of "The Passion According to Saint Matthew," a musical composition by His Grace Hilarion (Alfeyev), Bishop of Vienna and Austria, on October 25, 2008 in Toronto. Bishop Hilarion’s musical settings, which include as well "The All-Night Vigil" and "The Divine Liturgy," have received high acclaim from both ecclesial and secular reviewers.