On 24 May 2018, after the concert in Red Square, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia and His Holiness Patriarch Irinej of Serbia attended a reception marking the Day of Slavonic Literature and Culture and the Name Day of the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church.
His Holiness Patriarch Irinej of Serbia addressed His Holiness Patriarch Kirill with a greeting speech.
Among those who greeted the Primate of the Russian Church were also Ms. Olga Golodets, Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation; Metropolitan Daniel of Tokyo and All Japan; Metropolitan Niphon of Philippopolis, representative of the Patriarch of Antioch and All the East to the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia; H.E. Mr. Boiko Kotsev, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Bulgaria to the Russian Federation; and Metropolitan Pavel of Minsk and Zaslavsk, Patriarchal Exarch of All Belarus.
Addressing His Holiness Patriarch Kirill on behalf of representatives of the Local Orthodox Churches to the Moscow Patriarchal Throne, Metropolitan Niphon of Philippopolis said in particular:
“Together with your millions-strong flock we rejoice to see what changes have taken place in Russia thanks to your tireless enlightening activities. We are sincerely grateful to you for your reaction to what is going on all over the world and especially in the Middle East, for your support for Christians in this region, for your call to peace, and for the humanitarian aid that you send to people in Syria.”
“We all, who live and serve under your omophorion, feel that through your name we now have deeper spiritual ties with your heavenly patron, whom we now ask for intercession and help in Your Holiness’ laborious Patriarchal ministry, full of sorrow and joy, to the glory of the Holy Orthodoxy.”
His Holiness Patriarch Kirill thanked all those present for their greetings, prayers and support.
The Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church presented H.E. Mr. Boiko Kotsev, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Bulgaria to the Russian Federation, with the Order of St. Seraphim of Sarov, 3rd class.
Among those who congratulated His Holiness Patriarch Kirill on his Name Day in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior were Mr. Vyacheslav Volodin, Speaker of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation; Ms. Olga Vasilyeva, Minister of Education of the Russian Federation; Mr. Sergei Sobyanin, Mayor of Moscow; and various public figures, hierarchs and clergymen.
