Yushchenko greets Bartholomew with kiss, Alexy with handshake
Thousands of
Orthodox Christians chanted "Alexy" as Russian Patriarch Alexy II and
Orthodox Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I walked together to the Vladimir
Hill in Kyiv for a liturgy marking 1,020 years since the conversion of
President Viktor
Yushchenko greeted Bartholomew with a three kiss and Alexy II with a handshake.
Russian Orthodox
deacons, who accompanied Alexy II, began the liturgy in the Old Church Slavic language.
The ceremony is attended by top clerics from Orthodox countries.
