DECR Chairman sends a congratulatory message to the Primate of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church on his Name Day
Archbishop Hilarion, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate Department for external church relations, greeted His Holiness Patriarch Maxim of Bulgaria with the commemoration day of his heavenly patron, St. Maximus the Confessor. The text is given below.
Your Holiness:
I cordially congratulate Your Holiness with the commemoration day of your heavenly patron, St. Maximus the Confessor.
Your ministry in the vineyard of the Holy Church of Bulgaria has been always linked with the consolidation of her fraternal relations with other Orthodox Churches, including the Moscow Patriarchate. The years that you have spent within the walls of the Moscow Theological schools and later as rector of the Bulgarian metochy, have strengthened your sincere love to the Russian Orthodox Church. This feeling has been expressed many times in the primatial work of Your Holiness.
On this remarkable day, I prayerfully wish you good health, peace and bounteous gracious aid from on high in your Patriarchal ministry.
With respectful love in the Lord,
+ Hilarion,
Archbishop of Volokolamsk
Chairman
Department for External Church Relations
Moscow Patriarchate