NEW YORK: August 16, 2017
Metropolitan Hilarion of Eastern America and New York Sends Congratulations to His Beatitude Metropolitan Onouphry of Kiev and All Ukraine on the Third Anniversary of His Enthronement

4/17 August 2017

To Your Beatitude, Metropolitan Onouphry of Kiev and All Ukraine

Your Beatitude, Dear Vladyko!

It is with great joy that I greet you on behalf of the Synod of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia and personally on the anniversary of your enthronement!

We bear witness of you as a “fellowheir, and of the same body, and partaker of his promise in Christ by the gospel” (Ephesians 3:6-7), for over forty-five years, since your ordination at the Lavra of St Sergius, Abbot and Miracle-worker, the intercessor for and peacemaker of the Russian land. You are well known throughout the world as an archpastor filled with love, and a strict ascetic, who calls upon everyone today, as did Father Sergius in his day, to obtain peace with one’s conscience and with one’s fellow neighbor.

Prayerfully participating in today’s celebration, we wish you the omnipotent, all-strengthening and unbounded aid of the Chief Archpastor, Christ, in your many labors as Primate, along with good health, boldness of spirit and continuing blessed successes, many good and devoted assistants, the peace of Christ in the hearts of the many millions of your flock and all citizens of Ukraine, and that you for many more blessed years hold aloft the banner of our Holy Orthodoxy!

Beseeching your holy prayers, I remain as always with love in the Lord,

+HILARION,
Metropolitan of Eastern America and New York,
First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia.