His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus’ congratulated His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon of All America and Canada on the anniversary of his enthronement.

To His Beatitude, Most Blessed Tikhon, Archbishop of Washington, Metropolitan of All America and Canada

Your Beatitude, beloved in the Lord Brother and Co-Servant!

I cordially congratulate you on the anniversary of your elevation to the throne of the Most Blessed Metropolitans of All America and Canada.

In your high and responsible primatial ministry you are invisibly accompanied by the prayers of the Russian missionaries, equal to the apostles, as whose successor you were elected by the God-loving people, the reverent clergy and the God-wise archpastors of the Orthodox Church in America.

May the All-Wise Lord of peace Himself give you, in the words of Scripture, peace always by all means (2 Thess. 3:16), good health and abundant help in your further labors in His Vineyard. Many years to you.

With fraternal love in Christ

+KIRILL, PATRIARCH OF MOSCOW AND ALL RUSSIA

***

The Chairman of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, congratulated His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon of All America and Canada on the anniversary of his enthronement. The congratulatory message is published below in full.

Your Beatitude!

I cordially congratulate you on the seventh anniversary of your ministry on the see of the Primate of the Orthodox Church in America.

With humility and reverent zeal you accepted the staff of primatial ministry on the North American continent entrusted to you by the will of God’s Providence, and in righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness (1 Tim. 6:11) you follow the laborious path of establishing the God-preserved flock of the Orthodox Church in America in the holy Orthodox faith, so that that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified (2 Thess. 3:1). In this saving work you are strengthened by the prayerful intercession of the ascetics of piety who shone forth in America, among whom a special place in your life and in the memory of the Church is held by St. Tikhon, Patriarch of All Russia — your heavenly patron.

I prayerfully wish Your Beatitude many peaceful and blessed years as Primate, strength of soul and body and the unfailing help of God in your labors to spread the Gospel of Christ on American soil.

With respectful love in the Lord,

Chairman
of the Department for External Church Relations
of the Moscow Patriarchate
Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk

***

Tikhon, His Beatitude Archbishop of Washington, Metropolitan of All America and Canada (Mollard, Mark)

Born in Boston, Massachusetts, USA, on July 15, 1966.

In 1984 he graduated from Wyomissing High School (Reading, Pennsylvania). In 1988 he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in French and sociology from Franklin and Marshall College (Lancaster, Pennsylvania), after which he moved to Chicago.

In 1989 he embraced Orthodoxy and that same year began studies at St. Tikhon’s Seminary the Orthodox Church in America. A year later he entered the Monastery of St. Tikhon of Zadonsk (South Canaan, Pennsylvania) as a novice.

After receiving a Master of Divinity degree in 1993, he was appointed instructor in Old Testament at St. Tikhon’s Seminary.

In 1995 Archbishop Herman (Swaiko) tonsured him into the lesser schema with the name Tikhon in honor of St. Tikhon, Patriarch of Moscow. That same year he was ordained deacon and priest.

In 1998 he was elevated to the rank of hegumen, and in 2000 to the rank of archimandrite.

In December 2002, Metropolitan Herman (Swaiko), Primate of the Orthodox Church in America, appointed him deputy abbot of the Monastery of St. Tikhon of Zadonsk.

On February 14, 2004, he was consecrated bishop.

From October 28, 2005 — Bishop of Philadelphia and Eastern Pennsylvania.

On May 9, 2012, he was elevated to the rank of archbishop.

On November 13, 2012, at the 17th All-American Council he was elected the sixth Primate of the Orthodox Church in America. On the same day His Eminence Tikhon was proclaimed Archbishop of Washington, Metropolitan of All America and Canada.

His enthronement took place on January 27, 2013.