MINSK, 13 June (BelTA) - Metropolitan Filaret, Honorary Patriarchal Exarch of All Belarus, has been honored with the Medal of St. Mark of Ephesus, the award of the Department for External Church Relations of the Russian Orthodox Church, BelTA learned from the Belarusian Exarchate.
The Metropolitan was awarded the medal in Minsk by Deputy Head of the Department for External Church Relations Archimandrite Philaret (Bulekov). This year the Department marks the 70th anniversary since its founding. Metropolitan Filaret headed the department in 1981-1989.
The medal of St. Mark of Ephesus was instituted on 6 April 2016 with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia as an award of the Moscow Patriarchate's Department for External Church Relations. The medal is awarded to the ordained and secular persons for achievements in external church activities; for cooperation between the church and secular authorities in international activity; for upholding consent and civil peace in society.
