Metropolitan Laurus, leader of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, arrived in Moscow Tuesday on a mission that will reunify the Church that split in 1921,following the Bolshevik revolution. 

Hundreds of thousands of Orthodox priests, monks, nuns and laity were jailed, banished and murdered by the Communist regime in Russia. The exiled branch of the Church left in 1921 after accusing the clergy in Soviet Russia of collaborating with the Communist regime.

The two prelates are scheduled to sign a document establishing canonical ties on Thursday, May 17, 2007. The signing of the reunification document will be held at Christ the Savior Cathedral in Moscow. A meeting in advance of the formal act of reunification between Metropolitan Laurus and Russian Patriach Alexy II is underway at the Danilov Monastery in Moscow. 

Metropolitan Kirill, Chairman of the Department for External Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate, and & Archbishop Mark of Germany are, also, taking part in the discussions.

The Holy Synod of the Moscow Patriarchate will meet May 16th at the patriarch's residence. The Synod will focus on matters related to the solemn service at Christ the Savior's Cathedral. 

Hundreds of pilgrims from the United States and Western Europe traveled to Moscow to witness the reunification of the Church.

News sources: Interfax, United Press International and Radio Free Europe