Moscow Patriarch Kirill, despite previous prohibitions of the Synod of the Russian Orthodox church to pray with the clergy of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, congratulated the abbot of the Panteleimon monastery on Mount Athos, Archimandrite Evlogy Ivanov, and the monks on the patronal feast day.
The fact is that all monasteries on Mount Athos are subordinate to the Ecumenical Patriarchate and are considered monasteries of the Church of Constantinople, with which the Russian Orthodox Church broke off its Eucharistic unity in 2018, Spiritual Front reports while citing Patriarchia.ru.
"I cordially congratulate all of you and congratulate you on the patronal feast of the monastery – the day of remembrance of the Holy Great Martyr Panteleimon... through the intercession of St. Panteleimon, May the creator and Provident of the world preserve you all in good health and good spirits, send you full strength and strengthen you on the path of salvation," wrote Patriarch Kirill of Moscow, head of the Russian Orthodox Church.
As the Spiritual Front stated in its message, in this way the Russian Orthodox Church shows that it maintains contacts with the Ecumenical Patriarchate through its Panteleimon monastery, which is mostly inhabited by Russian monks. It was in this monastery that Russian patrons invested a lot of money, and now it is at least not very convenient for the Patriarchate to break off communication with them, even despite the prohibitions of the Synod of the Russian Orthodox church to pray with the clergy of the Ecumenical Patriarchate and visit Mount Athos.
Earlier, the UOC-MP announced trips to Mount Athos, in which divine services are scheduled in the monasteries of the Ecumenical Patriarchate on Mount Athos. Russian experts called it "a goal into own gates, out of the blue".