His Holiness Patriarch Kirill sends congratulations to Bishop Irinej of Niš on his election to the Serbian Patriarchal throne

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia congratulated Bishop Irinej of Niš on his election Archbishop of Pec, Metropolitan of Belgrade-Karlovci and Patriarch of Serbia. The text of congratulatory message is given below.

Your Eminence:

I cordially greet on behalf of the whole Russian Orthodox Church with your election to the Patriarchal throne.

The conciliar mind of the Serbian Orthodox Church guided by the Holy Spirit took you as a successor of her God-wise primates who have laboured at different times for the building up of the spiritual home of Serbian Orthodoxy. Now you are a successor of the work of a great hierarch Sabbas of Serbia, patriarchs of Pec, metropolitans of Karlovci, and all successors of the noble ministry of the blessed memory, including His Holiness Patriarch Pavle through the selfless work of whom the Serbian Orthodox Church has worthily continued to follow her high destiny for the last decades – to bring the light of Christ to the millions of believing souls.

Dear brother! May the All-Merciful Lord bestow peace and consolation upon your much-suffering and God-loving flock, and grant you good phusical health and His almighty inexhaustible aid for many good years.

With brotherly love in the Lord,

+ Kirill

Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia