BUCHENDORF, GERMANY: June 20, 2017
The Council of Bishops of the Russian Church Abroad sends greetings to President Vladimir Putin

From the Editors: Last week, the Council of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia sent a greeting to Russian President Vladimir Putin, King Simeon of Bulgaria (on his 80th birthday), Chancellor Angela Merkel and others. Below is the text of the letter sent to President Putin:

To President Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin of Russia

Munich, June 14, 2017

Your Excellency, Honorable Vladimir Vladimirovich:

We, the hierarchs of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, having gathered for a regular session of the Council of Bishops, which is taking place in St Elizabeth Convent near Munich, wish to express to you our heartfelt gratitude for the fact that during the blessed days of the celebration of the 10th anniversary of the reestablishment of unity within the Russian Orthodox Church, you found time to meet with us at Sretensky Monastery. We will never forget your participation in the preparation of this unity, which was achieved through great effort and was long desired by all of Orthodox Rus’, both in the Fatherland and in the diaspora.

By Divine mercy and the prayers of the Most-Holy Queen, the Mother of God and Ever-Virgin Mary, and all the Russian Saints, the miracle of Church unity has been accomplished, and you were among those whom the Lord called to manifest His will for the Russian Church.

We congratulate you, honorable Vladimir Vladimirovich, on the recent Day of Russia, and prayerfully wish you the perpetual aid of the Lord in your labors towards the benefit of our God-preserved Fatherland.

With love in Christ,

+HILARION,
Metropolitan of Eastern America and New York,
First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia.

(Signed by all the members of the Council of Bishops.)