Metropolitan Hilarion greets Primate of the Orthodox Church of Antioch with anniversary of his enthronement

Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations, sent a message of greetings to His Beatitude Patriarch John X of Antioch and All the East on the occasion of the anniversary of his enthronement. The text is given below.

Your Beatitude:

I respectfully greet You with the anniversary of Your election to the See of Primates of the Church of Antioch.

Your are proclaiming ‘the word of reconciliation’ (2 Cor 5:19) and strengthening Your flock in spirit during hard times of persecution carried out by the forces seeking to uproot the Christian faith in the ancient Biblical land of the Middle East. Your are encouraging the people of God to rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, continuing instant in prayer, ‘rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep’ (cf. Rom 12:12-15). This appeal finds a cordial response in the hearts of the faithful.

I wholeheartedly wish Your Beatitude the abundant mercies from Christ the Saviour, spiritual and physical fortitude in the Lord, and I wish a just and lasting peace and prosperity to Your beloved flock.

With respectful love in the Lord,

+ Hilarion

Metropolitan of Volokolamsk

Chairman

Department for External Church Relations

Moscow Patriarchate