Patriarch Bartholomew thanks Russian authorities for open demonstration of their faith

Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople highly appreciated cooperation of Russia's President Dmitry Medvedev and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin with the Russian Orthodox Church.

"I express gratitude on behalf of the Constantinople Church and from myself personally to these great Christian heads. They are not embarrassed to publicly testify to their faith and piety," Patriarch Bartholomew said during his visit to the Antioch Patriarchate representation in Moscow.

He noted that his visit to the Russian Orthodox Church "successfully develops and is held with God's blessing," the Department for External Church Relations website reported.

"It is proved by a new stage in relations between the Russian Church and the Constantinople Church we are living through now," the Constantinople Patriarch said stressing that it is largely achieved by the efforts of "such energetic a person" as patriarch Kirill and DECR head Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk.

"God is with you! With Russia, with her people, with her Church!" Patriarch Bartholomew said.

Source: Interfax religion