January 22, 2016
On the occasion of his Name's Day Patriarch Kirill and Met. Hilarion (Alfeyev) sent greetings to His Beatitude Archbishop Anastasios of Tirana and All Albania:
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Greeting from His Holiness Patriarch Kirill:
Your Beatitude, Beloved in the Lord Brother and Concelebrant,
Please accept my cordial greetings on the commemoration day of the monk-martyr Anastasius the Persian.
As the primate of the Albanian Orthodox Church you strive to perform your lofty ministry in accordance with God’s will, good, and acceptable, and perfect (Rom 12:2).
May the All-Merciful Lord, by the intercession of your heavenly patron, grant to Your Beatitude His abundant help in your work for the benefit of the clergy and flock entrusted to your care, and preserve you in physical and spiritual health for many years.
With fraternal love in Christ,
+KIRILL
Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia
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Greeting from His Beatitude Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk:
Your Beatitude,
Please accept my respectful greetings with the commemoration day of the monk-martyr Anastasius, a great saint pleasing unto God and your heavenly patron.
Performing the lofty ministry of the first hierarch of the Albanian Orthodox Church, you make a considerable contribution to the strengthening of peace and accord in Albania. Zealously stirring up the gift of God (2 Tim 1:6), you follow humbly the path of primatial ministry, teaching the faithful children of the holy Church of Christ by an example of your pious life to act in accordance with the words of the Apostle to the Gentiles, Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another; not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord (Rom 12:10-11).
I wholeheartedly wish Your Beatitude joy and peace in the Lord, spiritual and physical health and abundant blessings from Christ Our Saviour.
With respectful love in the Lord
+ Hilarion
Metropolitan of Volokolamsk
Chairman of the Department for External Church Relations
Moscow Patriarchate
