Many are the people of consequence who are attending the funeral of His Holiness Alexius II as on the list released this morning by the Moscow Patriarchate. The ceremony which started at 11 Moscow time (9 a.m. in Italy) is being attended by 6 heads of the Orthodox Churches with their delegations: Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople, Patriarch Ilia II of Georgia, Patriarch Daniel of Rumania, Metropolitan Christopher of Czech Lands and Slovakia, Archbishop Anastasios of Tirana and All Albania and Archbishop Hieronymos of Athens and All Greece. A delegation of the Roman Catholic Church is also present. Led by Cardinal Walter Kasper, President of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, the delegation includes Cardinal Roger Etchegaray, the Apostolic Nuncio Mgr Antonio Mennini and the Archbishop of the Archdiocese Mother of God in Moscow Mgr Paolo Pezzi. A delegation of the Armenian Apostolic Church led by Catholicos Karekin II is also present, together with some representatives of the Anglican Church, of the Evangelical Church of Germany and Norway, of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland, and of the Conference of European churches who made their trip to Moscow. In his address Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad, who was elected interim Patriarch on Saturday, paid his last tribute to Alexius II. (continued)” ” ” “
