Pope congratulates new Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia
(Jan. 29, 2009): Pope Benedict XVI on Wed. expressed his joy at the election of Metropolitan
Kirill as the new Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia . The Pope sent the new Patriarch
a telegram of good wishes, saying: “ May God bless your efforts to maintain communion
among the Orthodox churches and to seek the fullness of communion, which is the goal
of Catholic-Orthodox collaboration and dialogue.” Pope Benedict expressed his spiritual
closeness and of the Catholic Church’s commitment, to cooperate with the Russian
Orthodox Church, for an ever clearer witness to the truth of the Christian message
and to the values, which alone can sustain today’s world along the path of peace and
justice. The Papal telegram also said : -“I ask the Lord to grant you an abundance
of wisdom to discern his will to persevere in loving service to the people entrusted
to your patriarchial ministry, and to sustain them in fidelity to the Gospel and
the great traditions of Russian Orthodoxy. “