DIOCESE OF SAN FRANSISCO AND WESTERN AMERICA: March 19, 2009
The Western American Diocesan Assembly Sends Messages to Patriarch Kirill and Metropolitan Hilarion

The delegates to the Western American Diocesan Assembly of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia resolved to send the following messages to the Primates of the two parts of the unified Russian Orthodox Church: 

TO HIS HOLINESS PATRIARCH KIRILL OF MOSCOW AND ALL RUSSIA 

Your Holiness!

We, the participants of the Pastoral Conference of the Western American Diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, having gathered in the God-protected city of San Francisco, under the direction of our Ruling Bishop, His Eminence Kyrill, Archbishop of San Francisco and Western America, congratulate You, Your Holiness, on Your election to the most exalted service –the Patriarchal service – in the Russian Church so dear to us. We pray the Almighty for the granting of wisdom, strength, patience and fortitude of spirit to You as You fulfill Your most difficult Primatial responsibilities.  

With joy we greet Your Holiness also with the memorable anniversary dates which mark Your long years of service to the Holy Church – the recent 33rd anniversary of Your episcopacy and the soon-to-be-celebrated 40th anniversaries of your service at the Holy Altar and of Your priesthood. Remembering that according to the words of the Apostle, “they who have ministered well shall purchase to themselves a good degree and much confidence in the faith which is in Christ Jesus” (I Timothy 3:13), we humbly beseech the Lord to preserve Your Holiness in health for the good of His Holy Church for many years. 

Entreating Your holy prayers and Primatial blessing, 
The unworthy supplicants for Your Holiness before the Throne of God, 

† Archbishop KYRILL 
† Bishop THEODOSY 
And all of the participants of the Pastoral Conference 

March 5/18, 2009 
San Francisco, California 

TO HIS EMINENCE METROPOLITAN HILARION, FIRST HIERARCH OF THE RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH OUTSIDE OF RUSSIA

We, the participants of the Pastoral Conference of the Western American Diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, having gathered in the God-protected city of San Francisco, under the direction of our Ruling Bishop, His Eminence Kyrill, Archbishop of San Francisco and Western America, congratulate Your Eminence on the coming first anniversary of your service as First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad. We pray the Almighty to grant you wisdom, strength, patience and spiritual joy in fulfilling your most difficult responsibilities.

Asking your holy prayers and blessings,

The unworthy supplicants for Your Eminence before the Throne of God,

† Archbishop KYRILL 
† Bishop THEODOSY 
And all of the participants of the Pastoral Conference 

March 5/18, 2009 
San Francisco, California