Russian Patriarch Returning to Work after Stroke

MOSCOW, Nov 18, 02 (CWNews.com) - Russian Orthodox Patriarch Alexei II is gradually resuming normal activities, after suffering what appears to have been a mild stroke late in October.

The Russian prelate was hospitalized after he collapsed during a visit to Astrakhan. While he remains under hospital care in Moscow, he has been moved out of an intensive-care unit and is now receiving visitors and doing ordinary paperwork, the Moscow Patriarchate has reported. A statement from the Patriarchate indicated that Alexei «hopes to fully resume his primatial ministry in the nearest future.»