His Holiness Patriarch Alexy offers condolences to US President George Bush over the tragic consequences from Katrina hurricane

To: His Excellency Mr. George W. Bush

President of the United States of America

Your Excellency, Dear Mr. President,

The sad news of this terrible disaster – hurricane Katrina which affected Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi and Florida and killed, injured or left homeless many people, has echoed with pain in the hearts of Russians. New Orleans suffered most violently from the cataclysmic elements.

It was impossible to cope with it without victims and it aggravates the tragedy of the citizens. Relatives and friends of the killed and injured bear untold sufferings. May the Lord help them go through this trial with dignity.

On these days of grief and mourning the Russian Orthodox Church prays for the souls of the victims and the quickest recovery of the injured and expresses her sympathy and support to you, Dear Mr. President, all relatives and friends of the victims and all Americans.

I hope and I believe that you and the US government supported by the international community will spare no effort to ease the pain of people in trouble, to rebuild destroyed constructions and city’s infrastructure.

May the Lord grant you courage, patience and help in overcoming the hardest consequences of the disaster.

Respectfully,

+ALEXY,

PATRIARCH OF MOSCOW AND ALL RUSSIA