Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations, sent a letter to His Beatitude Patriarch John X of the Great Antioch and All the East, greeting him with the anniversary of enthronement.
Your Beatitude,
I cordially congratulate you upon the day of your Patriarchal enthronement.
Throughout the years of your Primatial ministry, you have completely devoted yourself to the care of the flock of the Patriarchate of Antioch entrusted to you, wisely guiding it to the Lord Jesus Christ as a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth (2 Tim. 2:15). Under the Primatial omophorion of Your Beatitude, the Church of Antioch has not only endured courageously the hard trials of the wartime in Syria, but also is successfully recovering. The Moscow Patriarchate will render all possible help in this hard task.
From my heart, I wish Your Beatitude abundant mercies from God the Saviour and spiritual and physical strength in your work for the good of the Holy Church.
With respectful love in the Lord,
+ Hilarion
Metropolitan of Volokolamsk
Chairman
Department for External Church Relations
Moscow Patriarchate