Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, Chairman of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate, sent a message of congratulations to His Beatitude Patriarch John X of the Great Antioch and All the East on the anniversary of his enthronement
The congratulatory message reads as follows:
His Beatitude John X
Patriarch of the Great Antioch and All the East
Your Beatitude,
Respectfully, I would like to extend to you my sincere greetings on the occasion of the anniversary of your Patriarchal enthronement.
Having recieved the lot of Primatial ministry from Christ the Chief Shepherd, you zealously bear witness to the Orthodox faith before those near and those far off, and tirelessly exhort the archpastors, clergy, monastics and laypeople entrusted to your care to walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God (1 Col 1:10).
As a good shepherd of Christ, you attend to the spiritual and material needs of your flock, calling for peace and accord in Syria, Lebanon and the entire Middle East.
Rejoicing together with the plenitude of the Most Holy Church of Antioch on this day of celebration, I prayerfully wish to Your Beatitude good health, fortitude and all-generous help from above in your Primatial labours for the good of the Church of God and to the glory of the Holy Orthodoxy.
With reverence and love in the Lord,
+Hilarion
Metropolitan of Volokolamsk
Chairman
Department for External Church Relations
Moscow Patriarchate
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