OREANDA-NEWS Russian President Vladimir Putin has awarded Metropolitan Tikhon (Shevkunov) of Simferopol and Crimea. The relevant decree has been published on the official portal of legal information.

It is noted that the head of state awarded the priest the Order of Merit for the Fatherland of the II degree for his great contribution to the construction of the museum and temple complex "New Chersonesos".

The decree was signed by the President on November 18, 2024.

Earlier, Tikhon answered a question about whether he is Putin's confessor. He forwarded the question of spiritual ties with the head of state to the president himself, and also clarified that he is usually called the confessor of the president, although he does not consider himself such.