Your Holiness,

On behalf of the Council of Christian Churches in Slovenia, the Slovenian Ecumenical Council and my own, I sincerely congratulate you for your election and inauguration. Together with the Church in Slovenia, I praise the Lord for calling you to this responsible position.

My congratulations are a sincere prayer that the Almighty may accompany you with His grace for the well-being of the Serbian Orthodox Church and the well-being of the Kingdom of God among us. Thank you for all that you have done and will continue doing for the Church in our homeland, especially for peace and unity among the same faith brothers.

The attached picture is a precious memory of August 26, 2018, in Vojnik and my golden mass. You honoured us with your presence and presented me with an icon of The Christ Pantocrator, which is now in my room, accompanying me.

Na mnogaja ljeta! (Many happy returns!)

Celje, February 19, 2021

Msgr Dr Stanislav Lipovšek

Retired bishop of Celje