DECR Chairman congratulates the Primate of the Orthodox Church of Alexandria on the 5th anniversary of his election Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa

Archbishop Hilarion of Volokolamsk, the chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate Department for external church relations, sent the following congratulatory message to His Beatitude Theodore, Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa, on the occasion of the fifth anniversary of his election to the Patriarchal Throne of Alexandria.

Your Beatitude:

I cordially greet You, Your Beatitude, and wholeheartedly congratulate You on the fifth anniversary of Your election to the Patriarchal Throne of Alexandria.

Your are well known in the Russian Orthodox Church due to Your years-long ministry as representative of the Patriarchate of Alexandria in Odessa and your many visits to the Moscow Patriarchate. We recall with love Your Beatitude’s participation in the enthronement of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia.

The long and fruitful cooperation between the two Patriarchates includes many spheres of church life. We attach particular importance to Your Beatitude’s assistance to the care for our compatriots who reside on the canonical territory of the Holy Church of Alexandria.

May I wish You, Your Beatitude, good health and God’s help in Your primatial and missionary ministry in the African continent.

With respectful love in the Lord,

+ Hilarion

Archbishop of Volokolamsk

Chairman

Department for External Church Relations

Moscow Patriarchate