Patriarch Kirill congratulated Pope Leo XIV on the first anniversary of his election to the throne

Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia sent an official congratulatory message to Pope Leo XIV on the occasion of the first anniversary of his election to the throne of the Roman Catholic Church. In his address, the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church expressed hope for further strengthening of relations between Moscow and Rome in the framework of joint Christian service.

According to Orthodoxia News Agency, Patriarch Kirill emphasized the high responsibility of the pontiff’s ministry, noting his efforts to affirm evangelical values among the flock. The text of the congratulatory message states that the authority of Pope Leo XIV is recognized by representatives of the most diverse religions and worldviews around the world.

Special attention in the message is paid to the common position of the two Churches in the face of global threats. Patriarch Kirill expressed his conviction that the similarity of approaches to the challenges of aggressive secularism will become a solid basis for the development of inter-church dialog. According to the head of the ROC, the participation of Pope Leo XIV in this process will contribute to the development of relations in the spirit of «joint Christian witness».

At the end of his letter, the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church wished the Pontiff strength, quoting the words of the Apostle Paul from the First Letter to the Corinthians: «Be firm, steadfast, always succeeding in the work of the Lord.»