DECR chairman congratulates His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos on his 10th anniversary as head of the Church of Jerusalem and of the Brotherhood of the Holy Sepulchre
Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations, congratulates His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos III of Jerusalem with the 10th anniversary of his enthronement:
Your Beatitude:
Please accept my respectful greetings with your 10th anniversary as the head of the Church of Jerusalem and of the Brotherhood of the Holy Sepulchre.
Ten years ago, by God’s Providence, You were invested with the dignity of Patriarch of the Church that dates back to the community of the apostles, and now You are keeping vigil over ancient traditions of the Mother of all Churches.
The Holy Land cherished by all Christians has been attractive to the faithful of the Russian Orthodox Church over many centuries. While continuing glorious traditions of Your predecessors, You extend paternal care over numerous pilgrims from all corners of Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova and other countries in the canonical territory of the Russian Orthodox Church thus promoting the indissoluble fraternal relations between our Churches.
On this festive day I prayerfully wish Your Beatitude good health and the strengthening gracious help from God in Your noble and responsible Primatial ministry.
With respect and love in the Lord,
/+ Hilarion/
Metropolitan of Volokolamsk
Chairman
Department for External Church Relations
Moscow Patriarchate