His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus’ congratulated His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon of All America and Canada on his 55th birthday.
To His Beatitude, Most Blessed Tikhon, Archbishop of Washington, Metropolitan of All America and Canada
Your Beatitude, beloved in the Lord Brother and Concelebrant at the throne of God!
I cordially congratulate you on your 55th birthday.
Having loved the heavenly more than the earthly and having embraced Orthodoxy at a young age, you decided to devote your life to the Church. Christ the Chief Shepherd set you upon the lofty candlestand of primatial ministry, making you the successor to the labors of your heavenly patron — St. Tikhon, Patriarch of All Russia.
Today you take care that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified (2 Thess. 3:1); you tirelessly care for the all-round development of the life of the Orthodox Church in America, for the fraternal harmony of the archpastors and the spiritual progress of the clergy and laity; you call the flock to works of goodness and mercy, and make no small contribution to building and preserving church unity.
I wish Your Beatitude strength and the unfailing help of God in your further primatial labors.
Many and blessed years to you.
With fraternal love in Christ
+KIRILL,
PATRIARCH OF MOSCOW AND ALL RUS’