His Holiness Tawadros II
Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch
Of the Holy See of St Mark
In All Africa and the Middle East
Your Holiness,
The Russian Orthodox Church is grieving together with the Coptic Church and with all the people of Egypt, for as a result of an explosion at your cathedral in Cairo last Sunday, people who gathered there for prayer died. Allow me to express my profound condolences and heartfelt support to your whole Church suffering from the religious intolerance and terrorism.
We believe that this dreadful crime will not achieve its ends, and the criminals will fail to sow fear and panic and undermine the foundations of the state structure of Egypt, whose people, despite the ordeals that have befallen them, remain committed to building up peace and civil accord in the country.
May Our Heavenly Father heal the wounds of the injured and bring consolation to those who sorrow, granting to the Christians “a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty” (1 Tim 2:2).
With love in the Lord,
+KIRILL
PATRIARCH OF MOSCOW AND ALL RUSSIA