Archimandrite Filaret (Bulekov), rector of the parish of St Sergius of Radonezh from 2000 to 2004

Hegumen Filaret (in the world - Bulekov Alexander Vladimirovich) was born in 1967, in Moscow.

In 1984 he graduated from Physics and Mathematics School N2 in Moscow.

In 1984-1990 he was a student of the Faculty of Physics at Lomonosov Moscow State University.

In 1991 he entered the Moscow Theological Seminary, and in 1998 he graduated from the Moscow Theological Academy. In 1999, he was awarded the degree of Candidate of Theology for his dissertation on "The History and Present Situation of the Maronite Church".

From 1988 to 1991 he was an employee of the Publishing Department of the Moscow Patriarchate.

From 1991 to 1993 he was a researcher in the sector of inter-Christian relations of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate.

From 1993 to 1996 he held the position of Head of the Communications Service of the Moscow Patriarchate Department of the Russian Orthodox Church.

In 1996 he was awarded the Order of St. Prince Daniel of Moscow III degree.

In 1996 he was ordained to the rank of deacon.

From 1997 to 1999 he served as Secretary of the Representative Office of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia to the Patriarch of Antioch and All the East in Damascus.

In 2000, by decision of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church, he was ordained a priest and tonsured into monasticism with the name Philaret in honour of Saint Philaret, Metropolitan of Moscow.

From 2000 to 2004, he was rector of the parish of the Russian Orthodox Church in honour of St. Sergius of Radonezh in Johannesburg, South Africa.

In 2002, by decree of His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II, he was elevated to the rank of hegumen.

From 2004-2011. - Representative of the Russian Orthodox Church to the Council of Europe and rector of the parish of All Saints in Strasbourg.

By decision of the Holy Synod of 22 March 2011 (Journal No. 19), he was relieved of his duties as representative of the Moscow Patriarchate in the Council of Europe and rector of the parish of All Saints in Strasbourg, and was appointed Deputy Chairman of the Department for External Church Relations.

By the decision of the Holy Synod of 6 June 2012 (Journal No. 44) he was appointed Secretary of the Commission of the Intersocietal Presence on Attitudes towards other religions and other religions.

28 April 2013. His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia elevated to the rank of archimandrite.