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His Beatitude Patriarch John X of Antioch and All the East thanked His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia for warm hospitality and solidarity with the Syrian people undergoing a hard time.

The text of the message is given below.

Your Holiness, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, beloved brother and concelebrant in Christ the Lord, Kyrios Kyrios Kirill. With great joy, we embrace Your Beloved person in the Lord and we say,

Christ is among us and in the midst of us.

I am writing to You to express my deepest feeling of gratitude and happiness for the blessed period I and the Antiochian delegation spent among you. Successful as expected, the official visit came to insist on the historical relation between the two sister Churches. Such a relation shall exist always through our coordination and our common witness to an orthodox and Christian unity.

The visit was also an opportunity to thank Russia, Church, government and people for their solidarity with the Syrians who pass a very difficult period.

Beloved brother in Christ,

We appreciate all your efforts to bring peace to our lands. We also feel, through Your Holiness, the deep sympathy of all the Church of Russia with the faithful of Antioch and with the Christian presence in the East.

In the name of our faithful who are still waiting their kidnapped bishops, priests and nuns and others, I ask God Almighty to strengthen You in your mission, to protect the church entrusted to Your paternal care and to enable us, God willing, to welcome You again in Damascus.

May God protect Russia.

With fraternal love in Christ.

+John X

Patriarch of Antioch and All the East