DECR chairman expresses condolences over the demise of Metropolitan Basil of Elasson
Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, head of the Moscow Patriarchate’s department for external church relations, has send to Archbishop Hieronymus of Athens of All Greece a letter expressing condolences over the demise of Metropolitan Basil of Elasson, a hierarch of the Greek Orthodox Church.
His Beatitude Hieronymus
Archbishop of Athens and All Greece
Your Beatitude,
Christ is Risen!
Kindly accept my profound condolences over the demise of His Eminence Metropolitan Basil of Elasson.
His Eminence Basil was a zealous worker in the field of Christ and sincere friend of the Russian Orthodox Church who has visited her on several occasions. The development of our bilateral relations was promoted by the deceased’s initiative to bring the relics of St. Arsenius of Elasson from Suzdal to Greece. In his service of the Church of Christ and in his efforts to strengthen fraternal bonds between our two nations, Metropolitan Basil can be likened to his holy predecessor.
Sharing the grief of the Most Holy Church of Greece, I am ardently praying to the Creator of all things for granting rest to the soul of her outstanding hierarch. May the All-Merciful Lord repose the soul of the departed Metropolitan Basil in the dwelling of the righteous! Eternal memory be to him!
With respectful love in Christ,
Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk
Chairman of the Department for External Church Relations
Moscow Patriarchate