Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov greets DECR chairman with his jubilee

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation sent a message of greetings to Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations, on his 50^th birthday. The text of the message is given below.

Your Eminence,

On behalf of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and on my behalf I cordially greet you with your 50^th birthday.

By carrying out your selfless pastoral ministry and using your multifarious talents for the benefit of other people, you make a considerable contribution to strengthening the spiritual foundations of our country and upholding the moral guidelines for the modern society, including the young people.

In your capacity as chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations, you do all you can to promote unity among the Russian-speaking Orthodox Christians living abroad and make great efforts to defend Christians subjected to persecution in various countries and to broaden the inter-confessional dialogue.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs highly appreciates your activities as co-chairman of the working group for cooperation between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation and the Russian Orthodox Church. Let us continue to promote our cooperation with the view of affirming the principles of truth and justice in the international affairs.

I wholeheartedly wish Your Eminence good health, peace, longevity and new achievements for the benefit of the Church and the Homeland.

S. LAVROV