DECR chairman expresses condolences to the Chaldean Catholic Patriarch of Babylon over demise of his predecessor
Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations, sent the following condolences to His Beatitude Mar Louis Raphaël I Sako over the demise of his predecessor, His Beatitude Patriarch Emeritus Emmanuel III Cardinal Delly:
Your Beatitude:
Please accept my sincere condolences over the demise of your predecessor, Mar Emmanuel III Delly, Patriarch Emeritus of Babylon.
The Lord has judged His Beatitude to lead the Chaldean Catholic Church at the exceptionally hard time for Iraq. In the years of his office, His Beatitude Patriarch Emmanuel witnessed military intervention which inflicted destruction and was followed by the murderous war and massive exodus of Christians from the Middle East – the land of their predecessors with ancient history that has been preserving Biblical spirit. His Beatitude remained firm in his faith in God’s Providence, kept up love of the people and his kind, truly Christian attitude to any human person irrespective of his political views, cultural traditions, national or religious background. He gained confidence and profound respect of many contemporaries.
May the Lord grant him eternal memory!
With sincere condolences and brotherly love in Christ,
/+ Hilarion/
Metropolitan of Volokolamsk
Chairman
Department for External Church Relations
Moscow Patriarchate