DECR chairman congratulates Primate of the Georgian Orthodox Church on the 40th anniversary of his enthronement
Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations, sent the following greeting to His Holiness and Beatitude Catholics-Patriarch Iliya II of Georgia with the 40th anniversary of his enthronement:
Please accept my cordial greetings with the 40th anniversary of your ascension to the Patriarchal throne.
As the Primate of the Georgian Orthodox Church you gently and lovingly edify the flock of Christ entrusted to your care, trying “to shepherd the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood” (Acts 20:28). During the long years of your Patriarchal ministry you have won spiritual wisdom and generously share it with your flock, teaching it to “take every thought captive to obey Christ” (2 Cor 10:5). Invaluable is your contribution to the development and strengthening of traditionally fraternal relations between the Russian and Georgian Orthodox Churches. You have received education at the Moscow theological schools and sincerely love our Church, and her bishops, clerics and layperson love and respect you.
I wholeheartedly wish Your Holiness and Beatitude abundant God’s mercies and spiritual and physical strength to perform your Primatial ministry for the good of the Holy Orthodox Church.
With respectful love in the Lord,
+ Hilarion
Metropolitan of Volokolamsk
Chairman
Department for External Church Relations
Moscow Patriarchate