69 Years of Russian Patriarch Kirill

Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill celebrated his 69th birthday on Friday. He has been Patriarch of Moscow and all Rus' and Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church since February 2009.



During the opposition protests of February 2012, he called Vladimir Putin's reign as Russian President, a "miracle of god" during a meeting with religious leaders.



A close political ally, Putin paid a visit to Kirill at Christ the Savior Cathedral on the patriarch's 67th birthday, presenting him with a lacquer box adorned with a picture of the Assumption Cathedral of the Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius, along with a bouquet of white roses.

In 2012, the Russian blogosphere erupted with criticism over the patriarch's expensive taste in timepieces and lavish lifestyle following a photoshop fail.



Editors from the Russian Orthodox Church's press service manipulated a 2009 photograph of the patriarch that had been posted to the church's website, extending his black sleeve to conceal the expensive Breguet wristwatch he was wearing. However, they forgot to photoshop the watch's reflection on the shiny tabletop.



After removing the doctored photograph from the website (bottom) and replacing it with the original photograph (top), the church blamed photo editors for the "technical mistake."