His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia congratulated Pope Leo XIV on his election to the throne of the Roman Catholic Church, the official website of the Moscow Patriarchate reported.
Russian Russian Orthodox Church Patriarch Kirill expressed hope for the development of relations between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church in a congratulatory message posted on the website of the Russian Orthodox Church.
The Patriarch also highlighted the historical significance of the name of the new pope, noting the joint veneration of St. Leo and the Pope by both Catholics and Orthodox.
"The name you have chosen refers to the personality of one of your great predecessors, St. Leo, the Pope of Rome. May the defender of the Christian community of Rome in the face of barbaric invasions, the champion of the doctrine of the fullness of the Divinity and humanity of the Lord Jesus Christ and the creator of unity in truth, this saint of God, revered equally by Catholics and Orthodox, inspire you in the upcoming difficult and responsible ministry," Patriarch Kirill wrote in a congratulatory letter.