DECR chairman congratulates His Holiness Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople on his Name Day
Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations, sent the following congratulatory message to His Holiness Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople:
Your Holiness:
Please accept my respectful cordial greetings with Your Nameday, a commemoration day of St. Bartholomew, Apostle of Christ.
The Holy Tradition of the Orthodox Church is based on the uninterrupted succession of the Gospel truth and life from our Lord Jesus Christ through the apostles to their successors. This succession has allowed us to remain faithful to the teaching of Christ for many centuries and apply the New Testament standards to any concrete moment in history. That is why St. Paul speaks of a special role of leaders in the life of congregations (cf. Heb 13:7, 24).
On the day when the plenitude of the Church of Constantinople celebrates the Nameday of her Primate and leader, may I wish Your Holiness God’s gracious help in Your primatial ministry at the See of New Rome for joy and spiritual benefit of the Christ-loving flock entrusted to You by God.
+Hilarion
Metropolitan of Volokolamsk
Chairman
Department for External Church Relations
Moscow Patriarchate