Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill Offers Condolences on Death of Queen Elizabeth II

Patriarch Kirill, the leader of the Russian Orthodox Church, has expressed condolences over the death of Queen Elizabeth II, describing her as an example of “the highest culture.”

In a letter to King Charles III dated September 9, Kirill wrote that his mother’s reign was a symbol of stability, continuity and historic traditions “not only for her homeland but for the European continent as a whole.” The letter arrived a day after the monarch died at the age of 96, following 70 years on the throne.

Kirill also recalled the queen’s visit to Russia in 1994. “Political leaders and heads of the world’s powers treated her with enormous respect. It is with great warmth that I remember her visit to Russia in 1994, which left me with the kindest impressions,” he said in the letter.

He further described her as “an open, knowable person who was able to appreciate a conversation partner, an example of a deep intellectuality and the highest culture.”

The source notes that while the queen was technically the head of state in the United Kingdom, her powers were largely symbolic and ceremonial, and that she was politically neutral. It also notes that she had been a major presence on the world stage for seven decades, and that her death has drawn condolences from around the world.

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