MOSCOW: October 22, 2010
Bishop Panteleimon of Orekhovo-Zuevo Thanks the Fund for Assistance for Aid to the Victims of Russia’s Wildfires

On October 21, 2010, Bishop Panteleimon of Orekhovo-Zuevo, Chairman of the Department of Church Charity of the Moscow Patriarchate of the Russian Orthodox Church, sent the Fund for Assistance a letter of thanks for the support of victims of this summer’s wild fires in Russia. To date, FFA has sent over $20,000 to the victims. 

To His Illustrious Highness, Prince Vladimir Kirillovich Galitzine, 
the Reverend Archpriest Victor Potapov, 
the Directors, Associates, and Donors of 
the Fund for Assistance to the Russian Orthodox Church 
Outside of Russia

Reverend fathers, brothers and sisters!

Allow me to express my deepest gratitude to your Fund for the invaluable assistance and support shown by you to the victims of this summer’s wildfires in Russia. How comforting it is to see the unity of nations in Christ, and charity for which neither distance nor the multitude of personal affairs are a hindrance! With the funds you have provided, we purchased and continue to purchase every necessity for the fire victims; the participation of strangers, not to mention ones who live so far away and which have all of a sudden appeared so near, heals the despair and dejection of those who have lost all that they owned, in some cases even loved ones, in the flames.  

I pray that the need for your Fund for Assistance to deal with such extraordinary circumstances proves as rare as possible. May the Lord preserve us from natural disasters and may He multiply within us love toward all those in need of aid!

With love in Christ, 
Panteleimon, 
Bishop of Orekhovo-Zuevo, 
Chairman of the Department of Church Charity 
and Social Service of the ROC-MP