The head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Kirill, congratulated Russian President Vladimir Putin on his birthday, praising his “devoted service to the Fatherland.”

The message of congratulations was published on the official website of the Russian Orthodox Church.

Patriarch Kirill praised Putin’s achievements in “strengthening Russian statehood and the economy, protecting traditional moral and family values, preserving historical, spiritual and cultural heritage, and ensuring people’s well-being.” “All this resonates deeply in the hearts of millions of our fellow citizens, who see you as a national leader setting an example of selfless and devoted service to the Fatherland,” Gundyayev stressed.

In his message, he also thanked Putin “for his unwavering attention to the diverse activities of the Russian Orthodox Church.”

“I hope that through the joint efforts of state authorities, religious organisations and public associations, we will continue to carry out many worthwhile initiatives that help unite the people, strengthen Russia’s sovereignty and promote its prosperity,” he concluded.

Earlier, we reported that Moscow Patriarch Kirill congratulated the head of the Chechen Republic, Ramzan Kadyrov, on his 50th birthday and awarded him the Order of Glory and Honour.

As LF reported, Patriarch Kirill of Moscow sent congratulations to the heads of the Russian occupation administrations in the seized territories of Ukraine’s Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions on the occasion of the “Day of Reunification with the Russian Federation.” On September 30, 2022, Russia declared the annexation of these four partially occupied regions of Ukraine.

Earlier, it was reported that the Moscow Patriarchate publishing house had released a new book by Russian Orthodox Church head Kirill (Gundyayev), War: Beyond Visible Causes and Consequences. In it, the Moscow Patriarch speaks of the “historical duty of Russians to be victors” and, in particular, justifies the aggression against Ukraine.