Congratulation from Governor of the Leningrad Oblast Mr. Alexander Drozdenko:
“Your Eminence, Vladika, I sincerely congratulate you on your consecration to the office of a bishop! I would like to express the hope for continued interaction of the Government of the Leningrad Oblast and the Lutheran community of our region in the educational and social field, in maintaining an atmosphere of friendship and understanding among members of the traditional confessions in our multiethnic subject of the Russian Federation. Please receive my good wishes of inexhaustible strength and energy, of continued success in your ministry in the name of strengthening peace and concord on the territory of our region, wishes of new good accomplishments, happiness, health, and wellbeing. I would like to use this occasion to express my sincere thanks to dear Bishop Emeritus Arri Matveyevich Kugappi for his great personal contribution to the spiritual and cultural sphere of life in our region. I would like to extend the same best wishes of peace, good, and wellbeing to all Lutheran believers in St. Petersburg and the Leningrad Oblast.”
During the celebration on February 9, 2020, this greeting was read by Mr. Yevgeni Sirenki, Deputy Chairman of the Leningrad Oblast Committee for Local Self-Government, Interethnic, and Interconfessional Relations, Chief of the Dept. for Interethnic and Interconfessional Relations.
Also, Governor Drozdenko of the Leningrad Oblast sent a congratulatory telegram to the new bishop of The Church of Ingria:
“Your Eminence, dear Vladika, please receive sincere congratulations in behalf of the Government of the Leningrad Oblast on your episcopal ordination. Please receive my wishes of good, health, well-being, inexhaustible energy and strength for continuing your important pastoral mission. May each day of your life be filled with light and joy! Alexander Drozdenko, Governor of the Leningrad Oblast.”