Patriarch Kirill sends Christmas greetings to ISS crew

MOSCOW. KAZINFORM Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Kirill has congratulated the crew of the International Space Station (ISS) on Christmas and gave them a blessing to performing the mission. "I think from the height of your orbit a new vision of the world develops, including on the scale of contradictions on the Earth," the Patriarch said via a TV link-up from the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour in downtown Moscow.

He wished the cosmonauts to have enough mental strength, physical abilities and courage to accomplish the mission that is important for the whole mankind. The Patriarch said he hoped to convey to the ISS crew a special feeling of joy and delight that this holiday gives to people. The crew of Expedition 46 consists of three Russians - Yuri Malenchenko, Sergey Volkov and Mikhail Korniyenko. The cosmonauts thanked the Patriarch for the kind words. The Patriarch also congratulated in English the other members of the crew - Scott Kelly, Timothy Peake and Timothy Kopra.
Source: TASS