DECR (Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate)

The Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate (from 1946 to 2000 - the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate) is the most important Synodal institution of the Russian Orthodox Church.

The DECR was formed by the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church on April 4, 1946, when the development of the external activities of the Russian Orthodox Church persistently demanded the creation of a special church body that could ensure a stable organization of this side of church life.

Over the 60-year history of the Department, it has been headed by outstanding hierarchs of the Russian Orthodox Church:

• Metropolitan of Krutitsky and Nikolay Kolomensky (Yarushevich, 1946-1960),

• Metropolitan of Leningrad and Novgorod Nicodemus (Rotov, 1960-1972),

• Metropolitan of Krutitsky and Kolomensky Yuvenaly (Poyarkov, 1972-1981),

• Metropolitan Filaret of Minsk and Belarus (Vakhromeev, 1981-1989).

From 1989 to 2009, the Department was headed by Archbishop (since 1991 Metropolitan) of Smolensk and Kaliningrad Kirill (Gundyaev), later Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia.

From March 31, 2009 to June 7, 2022, the chairman of the Department for External Church Relations was the Bishop of Vienna and Austria Illarion (Alfeyev, later Metropolitan of Volokolamsk, Vicar of the Moscow Diocese).

From June 7, 2022, Metropolitan Anthony (Anton Yuryevich Sevryuk) was appointed head of the DECR.