His Holiness the Serbian Patriarch Mr. Today, Porfirius sent a congratulatory message to His Holiness the newly elected Patriarch of Bulgaria, Mr. Danilo of the following contents:

Your Holiness, our dear brother and co-servant in Christ,

In the name of the Assembly of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church and in Our Personal name, we send you our hearty congratulations on the occasion of your election and accession to the most holy Throne of the Bulgarian Patriarchs. The fullness of the entire Church of Christ, His Body, today shouts and rejoices together with the clergy and faithful people of our sister Bulgarian Orthodox Church, recognizing the blessing of the Holy Spirit and the cooperation of the fathers of the Synod of Bishops, who recognized in the image of Your Holiness a worthy successor of its godly superiors, choosing You for the new head of the Bulgarian Patriarchate.

Your Holiness, God's will is that all peoples of the world know the One who is the true Way, Truth and Life (Jn. 14, 6) and that through Him they come to know the truth (1Tim. 2, 4). Believing in these words, we trust that carrying Christ's burden and gentle yoke (Mt. 11, 30) as superiors, with joint efforts, silently and without hesitation, we will preach the Truth, witnessing the Gospel of Christ and the faith of one, holy, conciliar and apostolic Church, especially today when evangelical value systems are being tested.

We pray to our Lord Jesus Christ to grant you the abundance of his grace, pastoral wisdom and spiritual strength in the new obedience for which the Holy Spirit has called you.

With love in Christ the Lord,

AEM and PATRIARCH OF SERBIA
Porphyry

Source: SPC