Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Russia sends a special message to the US President Willaim J. Clinton

PATRIARCH ALEXY II OF MOSCOW AND ALL RUSSIA SENDS A SPECIAL MESSAGE TO THE US PRESIDENT WILLAIM J. CLINTON

On February 9, His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Russia sent a special message to the US President William J. Clinton.

In his letter the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church expressed, in particular, profound concern for the fact that officials from the US State Department have taken an active part in the conflict over the fact that the church property in the territory of the Palestinian National Autonomy in Jericho, which historically belongs to Russia, has been legitimately returned to the Moscow Patriarchate.

Supporting by all available means the schismatic the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad (ROCA), which has initiated the conflict, in its groundless claims on the Russian church property, the American diplomacy has thus made more complicated the settlement of a property problem which in no way belongs to the sphere of the state interests of the USA.

Regrettably, all this has produced on the Russian Orthodox people an impression that the American government has identified itself with the activity of a church grouping outside Russia which is very hostile to the Russian Orthodox Church, says His Holiness in his letter.