MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 12th January, 2021) The Russian Orthodox Church on Tuesday confirmed to Sputnik that Honorary Patriarchal Exarch of All Belarus Metropolitan Filaret had passed away at the age of 85.
Earlier in the day, Belarus' state-run Belta news agency reported on the metropolitan's death without specifying the cause. In December, Filaret contracted the novel coronavirus.
"Yes, Metropolitan Filaret has passed away. May he never be forgotten," Nikolay Balashov, the deputy head of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate, said.
With the formation of the Belarusian Exarchate of the Moscow Patriarchate, in October 1989, Filaret was appointed metropolitan of Minsk, patriarchal exarch of all Belarus. In 2006, Metropolitan Filaret was awarded the Hero of Belarus title.
In December 2013, the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church granted the repeated petition of Metropolitan Filaret for retirement. At the same time, the Synod appointed him an honorary patriarchal exarch of all Belarus, retaining his right to participate in the work of the Synod of the Belarusian Church.
