Archbishop Hilarion's condolences over the demise of the Primate of the Serbian Orthodox Church

The Chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate Department for External Church Relations Archbishop Hilarion of Volokolamsk sent his condolences over the demise of His Holiness Patriarch Pavle of Serbia to Archbishop of Tsetin and Metropolitan of Montenegro and the Coastlands Amfilohije, who was elected Locum Tenens of the Patriarchal Throne of the Serbian Church. The text is given below.

Your Eminence:

May I express my profound condolences to the headed by you Holy Synod of the Serbian Orthodox Church over the demise of her Primate, Archbishop of Pec and Metropolitan of Belgrade-Karlovci, His Holiness Patriarch Pavle of Serbia.

The Russian Orthodox Church, whose sincere friend he had been during his lifetime, wholeheartedly shares the grief of the orphaned children of the sister Church of Serbia who had lost their dearly beloved Primate, under whose omophorion the Serbian Orthodoxy has survived one of the most difficult periods in her history. The Serbian people will always remember His Holiness Patriarch Pavle as their spiritual father and counselor who, with all his might, preserved the dignity of the Church of St. Sabbas and the integrity of her historical heritage.

The ministry of His Holiness Patriarch Pavle had been adorned by the deep humility, prayers, particular love of the celebration of the Divine Liturgy, as well as many other virtues that he acquired during his lifetime monastic deeds and tireless archpastoral labours in the vineyard of the Holy Church of Christ. These gracious gifts won him sincere respect both in the Serbian and other Orthodox Churches, including the Russian Church, which he had visited many times and which will cherish thankful memory of him.

I pray for the rest of the newly deceased, His Holiness Patriarch Pavle of Serbia, in the mansions of the righteous with the saints, whose interlocutor in prayer the late Primate had been during his lifetime. It is with a special feeling that the words "the righteous will be remembered forever"(cf. Ps 112:6) are resounding in my heart.

With love in Christ the Saviour,

+ Hilarion,

Archbishop of Volokolamsk

Chairman

Department for External Church Relations

Moscow Patriarchate

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Archbishop Hilarion's condolences over the demise of the Primate of the Serbian Orthodox Church

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