The interim leader of the Russian Orthodox Church was led away briefly from the funeral ceremony for late Patriarch Alexiy II today after apparently feeling unwell, a Reuters photographer said.

Metropolitan Kirill was led away from the service he was presiding over at the Christ the Saviour Cathedral by aides, the photographer at the ceremony said. A Kremlin press official said Kirill had fainted.

The metropolitan returned after a short break to continue participating in the service, which has already lasted five hours.

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