DECR chairman sends condolences over the death of Archbishop David of Sitka and Alaska

Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolasmk, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations, sent a letter to His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon of All America and Canada, expressing his condolences over the demise of Archbishop David (Mahaffey) of Sitka and Alaska.

His Beatitude Tikhon

Archbishop of Washington

Metropolitan of All America and Canada

  

Your Beatitude,

My heart grieved as I learned about the demise of His Eminence Archbishop David of Sitka and Alaska. It is with warmth that I recall our meeting with Vladyka David in December 2019, when he accompanied Your Beatitude on your visit to Russia on the occasion of the celebrations marking the 25^th anniversary of the Moscow Representation of the Orthodox Church in America. I will always remember his wholehearted faithfulness to God, agile mind and vast experience of apostolic ministry in the harsh environment of Alaska, as well as his zealous labours in preserving the memory of the Russian America.

I am praying to Christ the Chief Shepherd for the repose of the soul of the newly demised Archbishop David in the mansions of the righteous, where sickness and sorrow are no more, neither sighing, but life everlasting.

May his memory be eternal!

With sincere condolences,

+Hilarion
Metropolitan of Volokolamsk
Chairman
Department for External Church Relations
Moscow Patriarchate