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Russian Orthodox Church leader Alexy II dies

Russian Orthodox Church leader Alexy II dies
Russian Patriarch Alexy II, who led the Orthodox Church for almost 20 years, died at the age of 79 in his residency near the Russian capital on Friday morning, a Moscow Patriarchy official said. 

The cause of death has not been reported, but the patriarch was known to have suffered from heart disease. 

On Thursday evening, Alexy II held a church service in one of Moscow's central cathedrals to mark a major religious holiday. 

The church's ruling body, the Holy Synod, is due to gather for an urgent meeting in Moscow on Saturday following the patriarch's death. 

Alexy II suffered a severe stroke in 2002. In April 2007, media reports said he was in a Swiss clinic in a serious condition or even dead. Church officials then confirmed the patriarch had undergone medical treatment in Switzerland, but denied the seriousness of his condition.

ViktorYanukovych sent a telegramme, expressing his condolenсes.