CHRIST IS RISEN!
Your Eminence!
Venerable Hierarchs and Archpastors of Christ’s Church in Russia!
On behalf of our Primate, His Beatitude Metropolitan Ireny, on behalf of the Bishops, clergy and the whole God-loving people of the Holy Orthodox Church in America. I have the joy and the honor to receive from your hand the TOMOS declaring our Church autocephalous.
One hundred and eighty years have elapsed since the day when humble Russian missionaries set their feet on the American soil, bringing to the New World the holy Orthodox faith and the fullness of grace and salvation contained therein. One hundred and eighty years marked by unceasing growth and innumerable signs of God’s mercy and also by difficulties, troubles and divisions. But we know that the Lord’s “strength is made perfect in weakness” (2 Cor. 12:9). We know that to those who followed Him, Christ announced sorrows and tribulations, yet added: “but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). And thus on this day which the Lord has made that we may rejoice in it, we learn from God Himself that separations, difficulties and weaknesses, when overcome by Christ’s love, make healing, reconciliation and unity even more joyful and precious.
As I receive this TOMOS, hundreds of thousands of Orthodox Americans who, like myself, were born to the life in Christ in America and whose only desire is to be, with God’s help, fully Orthodox and fully American, are united with me in rendering thanks to Almighty God who never abandons His Church but always leads her into all Truth. They are united with me also in deep gratitude to you, holy Hierarchs of the Russian Church, and, first of all to His Holiness, the late Patriarch of Moscow and All-Russia, Alexis, who before he was called by God to eternal rest, sealed with his blessing, approval and signature this sacred act giving new life and strength to our American Church. Let his blessed memory be eternal.
At this solemn moment let me say, on behalf of our Church, that we receive this gift of autocephaly not as recognition of our merits or achievements, not as means of power and pride, but as the challenge for a renewed dedication to the growth, unity and spiritual welfare of Orthodoxy in America. We pray God that we may seek not our own but only His will for His Church so that we may grow into the full stature of Christ.
Whatever that Divine will for the youngest of all Orthodox Churches, whatever our own unworthiness and limitations we shall always remember the foundations laid for us by the Holy Church of Russia, we shall always remain faithful to the gifts of the Holy Spirit so abundantly manifested in her Saints and Martyrs, in her faith and steadfastness. Christ is among us!
As a token of our gratitude, as a sign of unity in faith and love, accept from us this icon of the first American Saint, the venerable and righteous Elder Herman of Alaska, a Saint who came from Russia, gave his whole life and love to the land and the people to whom he was sent by God.
We pray God Almighty through the prayers of the Saints who shone forth in Russia, of our venerable and God bearing Father Herman and of All His Saints, to help us and make us worthy of the infinite mercy bestowed upon us today.
Christ is Risen!