To His Holiness, KIRILL, Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus’
Your Holiness, Holy Master and gracious Father!
Now, when earth triumphs and heaven celebrates the Rising of the Creator of all (Triode on Wednesday of the 5th week of Pascha), the archpastors, pastors, monastics and laity filially ask you to accept their heartfelt congratulations on your name day and address to you the ancient Paschal greeting:
Christ is Risen!
Today the whole fullness of the Church glorifies Sts. Cyril and Methodius, Equals-to-the-Apostles: these wondrous saints, like swift-soaring eagles, flew over the Slavic lands and, illumining them with the light of the knowledge of God, led them to Jesus, the Lover of mankind and Savior of our souls (sticheron to the saints). Looking to the podvig of their lives, you with all boldness speak the word of the Lord (Acts 4:29) and tirelessly bear witness to those near and far of the transfiguring power of Orthodoxy, calling the children of the Church to proceed steadfastly unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven (Heb. 12:22-23).
Your ardent ministry, unshakable faith and complete trust in the Creator’s Providence, your vivid sermons full of deep meaning, and your active and many-sided work inspire us too, your humble co-workers, to contribute as much as we can to the cultivation of the field of Christ and to the affirmation in the lives of our contemporaries of the enduring moral ideals of peace, mercy and goodness.
We are grateful to Christ the Savior, Who has given us a truly good shepherd, endowed, like Prince Vladimir, with the wisdom of Solomon, the meekness of David and the Orthodoxy of the apostles (stichera to the saint), and who emulates the golden-tongued Cyril, who set love for the Creator as a seal upon his heart and multiplied the talents given him by God for His glory (stichera and canon to the saints).
Strengthened by the prayers of these wondrous saints of the Lord, you stand firmly on guard over the unity of the Holy Church, protecting the flock of Christ’s rational sheep from those who cause divisions, corrupt true teaching and disregard pious Christian traditions. You zealously care for preserving the flock in love for God, firm faith and the fear of the Lord, so that pastors and flock may with one mouth and one heart glorify the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, the Almighty, Life-Creating and Light-Originating Trinity (Trinitarian hymns of Gregory of Sinai, sung at the Midnight Office).
May the Risen Lord renew your strength of soul and body, grant you Paschal joy and send down His all-strengthening help in your most laborious and most beneficial high ministry!
Many and blessed years to you!
Members of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church
May 24, 2021, Moscow