Orthodox leader Patriarch Kirill is one of Russia's people of 2009

Moscow (ENInews). Russian Orthodox Church Patriarch Kirill I has been honoured in a Russian 2009 Person of the Year award, taking top honours along with President Dmitry Medvedev and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin at an awards ceremony held at Christ the Saviour Cathedral in Moscow.

The award is given by an organization called the Russian Biographical Institute. It honours public figures in spheres such as religion, politics, sports, medicine, education and culture. Winners are chosen by a committee and also by voting in the media and on the Internet.

Patriarch Kirill's portrait is pictured first among the honourees on the Web site of the institute, www.whoiswho.ru. He was honoured at the 16 December ceremony for his "exceptional contribution to the spiritual revival of Russia".

Medvedev and Putin received the award for their "State activity", as they did in 2008, when they were also singled out for "strengthening Russian Statehood", following Russia's war with Georgia over the breakaway region of South Ossetia.

The Voice of Russia, a State radio station, said the award to Kirill shows how he has strengthened the Russian Orthodox Church since he was enthroned as Patriarch in February.

"In less than one year as primate, Patriarch Kirill has not only designated new directions in the development of the Russian church," the radio station stated. "He has significantly strengthened the position of the Orthodox faith both inside Russia and outside its borders."

Kirill has on a number of occasions addressed the issue of Russia's role, and the role of Russian Orthodoxy and religion in general, in Europe.

On 16 December, in a letter to Thorbjørn Jagland, the general secretary of the Council of Europe, Kirill wrote that he hoped the Strasbourg-based grouping of 47 nations would heed a document on "dignity, freedom and human rights" drawn up by the Russian Orthodox Church in 2008. Jagland is to visit Moscow from 21 to 23 December.