Wednesday
May192021
« Patriarchal congratulations to Bishop Matthew of Sourozh on his 50th birthday »
19-05-2021 
His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia congratulated Bishop Matthew of Sourozh on his 50th birthday.To His Grace Bishop Matthew of Sourozh, temporarily Administrator of the Patriarchal Parishes in the USA and Canada.
Your Grace!
Christ is Risen!
I cordially greet you with the words of Easter gospel and congratulate you on your 50th birthday.
By dedicating yourself to serve the Lord, you strive to diligently fulfill the various obediences entrusted to you by the Church Hierarchy. Many years of your life have been associated with the service in your native Tambov region. After a while, by God's will, you were ranked among the host of the apostles' successors and called to episcopal ministry, first in the Skopino diocese, and then as administrator of the parishes of the Moscow Patriarchate in Italy. Now you are entrusted to carry out archpastoral ministry in the Sourozh diocese in order to testify the truth of Orthodoxy in the land of foggy Albion.
In consideration of your ministry and in connection with the celebration of your anniversary, I believe that it is fair to award you with the Order of the Venerable Seraphim of Sarov (III degree).
May the all-generous Lord bestow upon you strong health and His unfailing help in your further archpastoral labors.
With love in the Risen Christ
+ KIRILL, PATRIARCH OF MOSCOW AND ALL RUSSIA