Your Grace, dear Vladyka and loving father!
We heartily congratulate you on your namesday, the day of remembrance of the Holy Apostle and Evangelist Matthew!
From a young age, you loved Christ, with all your heart you were imbued with the beauty of Orthodox worship and the splendor of the temple of God. Under the wise and fatherly spiritual guidance of the ever-memorable Archbishop Evgeny (Zhdan), you grew from strength to strength as a faithful servant of the altar of Christ. For more than a quarter of a century, you have stood before the Holy Table, offering a bloodless sacrifice of thanksgiving to God, the Giver of all blessings, and you have been a vivid example of faithfulness to the Holy Church and to your calling.
Fifteen years ago, a new page in your biography was opened – you were sent by the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church to responsible ministry in the Diocese of Sourozh. Over the next seven years, you carried out missionary pastoral labours in parishes in the British Isles, becoming the founder of many Orthodox communities in various cities of Great Britain.
Seeing your zealous labours in the field of preaching the Holy Gospel, the Lord called you to apostolic service to God and people. Like the chosen disciple of Christ, having heard His call: “Follow me,” you “followed Him” (Matt. 9:9).
After a short time, endowed with the grace of a hierarch, you returned to the British land, glorified by the feats of countless ascetics and saints of the undivided Church. And now, like your heavenly patron saint, “the eloquent preacher of the Gospel to the world” (troparion to the Apostle and Evangelist Matthew), you carry out your archpastoral ministry in the far abroad, in the Old and New Worlds, heading the famous Sourozh cathedra and the Patriarchal parishes in the USA and Canada.
On this memorable and solemn day for you, we wish you, dear Vladyka, spiritual and physical strength, patience and God’s all-strengthening help in your archpastoral labours and hierarchal ministry!
Through the prayers of the holy Apostle and Evangelist Matthew, may the All-Merciful Lord grant you strength and wisdom “rightly to divide the word of Christ’s truth” and may He bless your archpastoral labours for the glory of the Church of Christ and her faithful children!
Many and good years to you!
Εἰς πολλὰ ἔτη, Δέσποτα!
Clergy, monastics and laity of the Diocese of Sourozh and Patriarchal Parishes in the USA and Canada
Source: http://www.sourozh.org/maineng/2024/11/29/congratulations-on-namesday-to-his-grace-bishop-matthew-of-s.html
