Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad, Chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate Department for External Church Relations, congratulated Benedict XVI, the newly-elected Pope of Rome

Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad, Chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate Department for External Church Relations, sent the following message to the Pope of Rome Benedict XVI congratulating him on his being elected to serve as Primate of the Roman Catholic Church.

His Holiness Benedict XVI

The Pope of Rome

Your Holiness,

I cordially congratulate Your Holiness on being elected to serve as Primate of the Roman Catholic Church. I hope that your work in this lofty and responsible capacity will open a new page in relations between our two Churches and will contribute to the development of Orthodox-Catholic dialogue. It is my conviction that this is necessary for closer cooperation between the Orthodox and the Catholics in our task to defend and propagate Christian values in today’s world which needs to strengthen its traditional spiritual foundations.

I wish Your Holiness God’s help in your ministry.

With respectful love in the Lord,

Kirill

Metropolitan of Smolensk and Kaliningrad

Chairman

Department for External Church Relations

Moscow
Patriarchate

Links:

• His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II congratulates His Holiness Benedict XVI on his election as Primate of the Roman Catholic Church
• A Delegation of the Moscow Patriarchate in Rome
• A delegation of the Moscow Patriarchate Attended the Inauguration Ceremony of the Pope of Rome
• Pope Benedict XVI Received the Delegation of the Moscow Patriarchate

See also:

• His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II congratulates His Holiness Benedict XVI on his election as Primate of the Roman Catholic Church