The message reads, in part:
“The festive joy of Easter days, filled with kindness and love, is sincerely shared by millions of people. Your high mission and dedicated pastoral care have made you an undisputable authority among our country’s residents.
They respect you as a wise spiritual mentor who firmly and consistently stands for the unwavering values of Orthodox Christianity, and they appreciate your intense selfless work, your tremendous personal contribution to the preservation of our centuries-long historical, cultural and spiritual traditions.
Under your guidance, the Russian Orthodox Church has taken an active and creative part in the life of our country and society, showing its care for the upbringing of the young, the strengthening of the institution of family and the protection of motherhood and childhood. A great deal is being done to maintain peace and societal concord in Russia.”