The faithful of the Chinese Autonomous Orthodox Church eagerly awaited, well into the night, the announcement of the results of voting of the Local Church Council in Moscow which elected the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia.

After the voting results were announced, Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad was named the 16th Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia. News of the election of a new patriarch was enthusiastically discussed on Orthodox forums on the internet. As Patriarch, Metropolitan Kirill also assumes care for China's Orthodox flock until a leader for that Church is selected. A delegate from the Chinese Autonomous Orthodox Church was among the delegates at the Local Council which elected Metropolitan Kirill to be Patriarch.

"China's Orthodox Christians welcomed the news of Metropolitan Kirill's election as Patriarch with hope and encouragement. In recent years he has led efforts to normalize the situation of the Orthodox Church in China. We believe that as Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, he as a hierarch who is well acquainted with all the problems regarding Orthodoxy in China, will be able to resolve them effectively", commented Archpriest Dionisy Pozdnyaev, priest-in-charge of the parish of Apostles Peter and Paul in Hong Kong regarding the election of the new Patriarch.