Patriarch Alexei II, head of Russian Orthodox Church, dies

The head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Alexiy II, has died at the age of 79.

There is no word on the cause of his death at his residence outside Moscow, but he had been sick for some time. No date has been set yet for the funeral.

Prime Minister Vladimir Putin called his death a "great loss".

Alexiy II was credited with helping restore the moral authority of the Russian Orthodox Church after decades of repression under communism.

Favoured by the KGB as he rose through the Church's ranks, he then oversaw its post-communist revival.

However, relations with the Roman Catholic Church remained frosty and he repeatedly refused to meet the late Pope John Paul II, or his successor, Benedict XVI. (BBC)

Prayers for his passing, and his sucessor. Pope Benedict says he is profoundly saddened by the news.

update: someone help this papist out - how do the Russian Orthodox elect a new head?

(Besides, of course, just calling Pope Benedict and having done with it).

update 2: "The "Holy Synod" of Russian Orthodox bishops will meet to elect the next patriarch.This is also the manner in which (Eastern) patriarchs are elected in the Catholic Church." - f.r.

Here is the website of the Russian Orthodox Church. Same page translated into English.