On March 22, 2026, Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia extended his heartfelt congratulations to Patriarch Theophilos III of Jerusalem on the occasion of his name day.
In his message, the Patriarch addressed the Primate of the Church of Jerusalem as “His Beatitude, Patriarch of the Holy City of Jerusalem and All Palestine,” conveying his warm wishes on the feast of Saint Martyr Theophilos.
Patriarch Kirill recalled the example of the saint, noting that he “disregarded military rank, life itself, bodily beauty, and wealth in order to gain Christ,” together with the other martyrs of Sebaste. Drawing a parallel, he emphasized that Patriarch Theophilos, strengthened by the prayers of his heavenly patron, bears “the difficult cross of the Primate of the Church of Jerusalem, the Mother of all Churches,” while remaining a zealous defender of the great Christian holy sites.
He further expressed his wishes for “peace, good health, and the almighty help of God” in the Patriarch’s ministry, concluding his message with “brotherly love in the Lord.”
