Patriarch Ilia of Georgia and Russian Orthodox Church Patriarch Aleksei II are doing all they can to ensure that the conflict between their nations does not become "a people's war, a holy war", echoing earlier nationalistic fervour.

After a visit to Russia, the Vatican's top official for Christian unity has said a meeting between Pope Benedict XVI and Patriarch Alexei II of the Russian Orthodox Church is "possible". Such an encounter would be a first.

President Vladimir Putin's successor, Dmitry Medvedev, has been inaugurated in the Kremlin with pomp, circumstance, and prayers from Patriarch Alexei II of the Russian Orthodox Church - which has paid tribute to the new national leader.

President Putin has attended a memorial service conducted by Patriarch Aleksei II, head of the Russian Orthodox Church, at a church built near a Soviet police secret killing field, to commemorate the victims of Josef Stalin.

A senior leader of the Russian Orthodox Church has said the major churches in Europe need to join forces and seek allies from other faiths to ensure society upholds traditional ethical values - and has criticised Christians who take a different view.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has said his country's internal and external security depends upon two things - its traditional religions and its nuclear forces - writes Sophia Kishkovsky from Moscow for Ecumenical News International (ENI).

When Russians celebrated the Julian calendar's New Year on 14 January 2007, they concluded an extended Christmas holiday with a particular significance for religion in their country - reports Sophia Kishkovsky from Moscow for Ecumenical News International.

A village priest has been killed by thieves after Christmas Eve services marked by the Russian Orthodox Church on 6 January 2007, in the second violent death of a cleric to shake the church in just over a month

Today (7 January 2007) is the day of Christmas celebrations for 150 million Orthodox Christians across the world ‚Ä' the branch of the global Christian family which still claims the deepest links with the post-apostolic Church.

The death of a village priest, his wife and three small children in a mysterious fire has highlighted hardships that Russian Orthodox clergy face in isolated locations outside Moscow's bubble of wealth and power ‚Ä' writes Sophia Kishkovsky from Moscow for Ecumenical News International.