Head of the patriarchal press service priest Alexander Volkov told the journalists that the commemoration prayer was lifted up on Sunday in the morning during the patriarchal service in St. Spyridon Church in Moscow district Nagatinsky Zaton.
Later, the press service spread the patriarch’s condolences to relatives of the victims.
“My heart was filled with pain when I heard tragic news about the crash of the plane of the Russian Defense Ministry in the Black Sea aquatory,” he said.
Patriarch Kirill noted that those who were onboard went to Syria to congratulate Russian soldiers on the coming New Year and Nativity and “support them in their difficult military service.”
“May the Lord comfort all those who were touched by this horrible tragedy and strengthen the relatives of those dead to go through the trial,” the letter of condolences reads.
