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President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Your Holiness, good afternoon.

Please accept my best wishes on your Name Day. I would like to express my appreciation for everything you are doing for Russia and for our nation. However, I would like to specifically mention one area.

You are active in many spheres, but I would like to particularly highlight your efforts to preserve the Russian language and culture, as well as to strengthen ties with our compatriots abroad, including as part of the World Russian People’s Council that you chair.

Your work takes on particular significance in today’s environment, where we are witnessing not only attacks on Russia but at times outright hostility toward our cultural heritage even as an integral part of world culture. This is something that has not occurred for a long time. Such actions reflect poorly on those who engage in them and only underscore the vital importance of supporting Russian culture and language. Your contribution in this regard is truly invaluable.

Thank you very much.

Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia: Mr President, I sincerely thank you for your kind words – and, most importantly, for your leadership of the nation.

Over the years of your presidency, life in our country has changed immensely. While these changes may not always be immediately visible to observers outside, they are felt by the vast majority of our people. And it is not just about improvements in material well-being.

We often mention the democratisation of society – but what does that mean? To quote a classic, it is when a person can breathe freely. Indeed, people today feel free: there is no discrimination – neither on religious nor on ethnic grounds. This is remarkable: a vast country with a rich diversity of ethnicities and nationalities, yet one where people truly and genuinely live in harmony.

Of course, this is rooted in our thousand-year tradition of coexistence, among others. But we also know how that tradition was suppressed, and what conflicts have arisen. And the fact that we now see our society consolidating and coming together around the goals and values your leadership has set is a vital factor in the civilisational sense. Our country is unique as a civilisation: modern, technologically advanced, and yet firmly rooted in tradition. I believe many across the globe essentially view today’s Russia as a powerful example of how scientific and technological progress and modern life can harmonise with tradition.

Once again, I sincerely thank you for your leadership and your guidance. We pray for you always. May God give you support and strength in your service to the Fatherland.

Vladimir Putin: Thank you.