Patriarch Kirill Congratulates Pope Leo XIV on Election

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia has congratulated the newly elected head of the Roman Catholic Church, Pope Leo XIV, on his accession to the papal throne. In an official message, the Patriarch expressed hope for further development of relations between the Eastern and Western Christian traditions. The congratulatory message was published on the official website of the Russian Orthodox Church.

“You begin your ministry as the Primate of the Roman Catholic Church at a special historical moment, marked both by a series of civilizational challenges and by certain signs of hope,” the message reads. Patriarch Kirill expressed his hope that the newly elected Pope will contribute to the steady development of inter-church relations in order to offer “a common witness to Christ.”

The Patriarch also noted the symbolic significance of the name Leo XIV, recalling St. Leo the Great, Pope of Rome, who is venerated by both Catholics and Orthodox Christians: “May this servant of God inspire you in the difficult and responsible ministry that lies ahead.”

It is also worth noting that Patriarch Daniel of the Romanian Orthodox Church sent a congratulatory message to Pope Leo XIV on the occasion of his election to the Apostolic See. In his letter, the Patriarch emphasized the importance of Christian unity in the face of modern global challenges.