|PIC1|The Russian Orthodox Church elected Metropolitan Kirill to be its new patriarch in a ballot at Moscow’s Christ the Saviour cathedral on Tuesday night.

Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad won 508 votes in a secret ballot at Moscow’s Christ the Saviour cathedral, defeating Metropolitan Kliment of Kaluga and Borovsk, who won just 169 votes.

The former head of the Church’s external relations department is the first patriarch to be elected in the post-Soviet era following the death of Patriarch Alexy II in December.

Metropolitan Kirill is a popular figure is on friendly terms with the Vatican and has met Pope Benedict several times. His election will be seen as a boost to reconciliation efforts between the Roman Catholic and Orthodox Churches after 1,000 years of schism.

Widely regarded as a moderniser, some believe Kirill may bring about greater independence from the Kremlin than Alexy II, who during his leadership faced criticism that he had brought the Church too close to the state.

Kirill, 62, was elected behind closed doors by a 700-strong council of church leaders.