MOSCOW, December 28. /TASS/. The Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church has decided to set up a patriarchal exarchate in Western Europe and an exarchate in Southeast Asia, Alexander Volkov, the press secretary to Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Kirill, said on Friday after a Synod meeting.

"The Holy Synod’s decision is to set up a patriarchal exarchate in Western Europe that will be based in Paris," he said.

"In view of serious achievements of the Russian Orthodox Church’s mission in Southeast Asia, it was decided to establish a patriarchal exarchate in Southeast Asia, based in Singapore," he added.