Metropolitan Tikhon receives additional greetings
One month after his election as Primate of the Orthodox Church in America at the 17th All-American Council in Parma, OH on Tuesday, November 13, 2012 [see related story], His Beatitude, Metropolitan Tikhon continues to receive congratulatory messages.
From His Beatitude, Metropolitan Sawa of Warsaw and All Poland.
Your Beatitude!
I received Your letter informing us on Your election to the primatial throne of the Orthodox Church in America.
Please accept my sincere congratulations and best wishes.
I wish Your Beatitude abundant grace from All-Generous God in this difficult and responsible ministry as the Primate of the Church. May Your service contribute to the internal stability of the American Church, which has been affected in recent years. May God help you!
We ascribe Your name into the diptych and keep You in our prayers.
With love in Christ,
+Sawa
Orthodox Metropolitan of Warsaw and All Poland
From His Grace, Bishop Ilia of Philomelion, Albanian Orthodox Diocese of America, Ecumenical Patriarchate.
My esteemed brother in Christ:
We have received the news of your election as Metropolitan Primate of the Orthodox Church in America and come to express our prayerful good wishes that Almighty God strengthen and guide you in the awesome responsibilities of bearing the Omophorion of your exulted office.
May our Lord God grant you good health, prudent judgment, courage of conviction and a tranquil ministry for many years.
With fraternal love in Christ,
+ Bishop Ilia of Philomelion
From His Eminence, Archbishop Joseph of the Diocese of Los Angeles and the West of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America
My beloved brother and concelebrant in Christ, Metropolitan Tikhon:
Greetings in the Name of our Lord, Jesus Christ!
On behalf of the clergy and faithful of the Holy Diocese of Los Angeles and the West, I rejoice in the good news of today’s decision of the Holy Synod of Bishops and the 17th
All-American Council of the Orthodox Church in America to elect Your Beatitude as the new Archbishop of Washington and Metropolitan of all America and Canada. I rejoice because this joy is not just for the Orthodox Church in America, but for the entire Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. AXIOS! AXIOS! AXIOS!
I am looking forward to the opportunity to get together with Your Beatitude as soon as the opportunity presents itself. I ask for Your Beatitude’s Holy prayers and assure Your Beatitude of my humble prayers always. If I can ever assist Your Beatitude with anything, please do not hesitate to knock on my door. May the merciful and Almighty God bless your ministry and grant you many years.
Eis polla eti despota!
Your Brother in Christ,
+ Archbishop Joseph
Diocese of Los Angeles and the West
Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America