Rustam Minnikhanov sends Christmas greetings to Patriarch Kirill and Metropolitan Anastasy

President of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov has sent Christmas greetings to Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Kirill and Head of Tatarstan metropolitanate of the Russian Orthodox Church Metropolitan of Kazan and Tatarstan Anastasy.

Greetings addressed to Patriarch Kirill read,

“Your Holiness!
On behalf of Tatarstan citizens and personally, I sincerely congratulate you on the great holiday of Christmas. This holiday, being the symbol of inspiring hope and boundless love, does not concern only one confession anymore. Representatives of other religions of our multinational Russia also celebrate it together with orthodox Christians. Let holy Christmas celebrations help Russian people consolidate public unity and concord, peace on their native land, to become familiar with rich spiritual and cultural traditions of our country.

I sincerely wish you, Your Holiness, and Orthodox clergy strong health, happiness, success in all just deeds and undertakings.
I hope to meet you on a hospitable Tatarstan land.”

In the telegram addressed to Metropolitan Anastasy the Tatarstan President expressed hope “that true Christian traditions of unselfish love to one's neighbor, mercy and tolerance, peacefulness and constructive labour for the greater good will favour consolidation of public concord and unity of all peoples living in multinational Tatarstan for the sake of prosperity of our Motherland.”