Russian awards for the Castro brothers

[Ed_Haynes]

While also in the "Cuba" section, this belongs someplace else, but where? No logical home, so I put it here.

Fidel and Raul Castro Receive Decorations from Russian Church

HAVANA, Cuba, Oct 20 (acn) The Russian Orthodox Church granted its highest decoration, the Order of Glory and Honor, to the leader of the Cuban Revolution Fidel Castro Ruz.

The decoration was presented to Cuban President Raul Castro by Metropolitan Kiril, a permanent member of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church and head of the Moscow Patriarchate Department for External Church Relations, during a ceremony at the venue of the Cuban Council of State on Sunday night.

At the same time, His Eminence Kiril presented Raul with the Order Prince Daniel of Good Faith in its First Degree.

?On behalf of the Commander in Chief and also on my behalf, I ask you to convey our gratitude to His Holiness, the Patriarch of Russia, Alexei II. We are very happy with the visit of this Russian religious delegation and we hope it will repeat,? Raul said.

Also on Sunday night, Raul Castro and His Eminence Kiril held a private meeting.

http://www.cubanews.ain.cu/2008/1020recibendistincion.htm