A new patriarch took charge of the Russian Orthodox Church on Feb. 1, formally becoming the first leader of the world's largest Orthodox church to take office after the fall of the Soviet Union.

Metropolitan Kirill, 62, has been a cautious advocate of change and a prominent figure in trying to reconcile with the Roman Catholic Church.

He became the 16th person to bear the title of patriarch in a solemn ceremony at Christ the Savior Cathedral in Moscow.

Patriarch Alexy II died in early December after almost two decades at the helm of the church, during which millions of Russians returned to their historic faith. But polls show that only about 5 percent of Russians are observant believers and only 30 percent of the population believe they should follow the moral teachings of the church.

Kirill, long Alexy's deputy, has been critical of tolerance of homosexuality, abortion, multiparty democracy, and the division of secular and religious authority.