Latvian President Visits Patriarch Cyril in Moscow

Patriarch Kirill (Gundyayev) of Moscow recently received the President of Latvia during the latter's state visit to the Russian Federation.

In stark contrast to neighboring Estonia, in Latvia the national government has regularized the legal standing of the Latvian Orthodox Church, allowing it to care for Orthodox Christians in the armed forces, protecting its property against claims from schismatic groups, and designating the Nativity (according to the traditional calendar) as a national holiday.

More on the Latvian president's visit with the patriarch can be found here.