SW News: The Head of the Russian Orthodox Church and the Archbishop of Canterbury have sent messages condoling the demise of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI. Patriarch Kirill of the Russian Church said that it was with sadness that he received news of the passing of Benedict XVI.

“His many years of life have marked an entire epoch in the history of the Roman Catholic Church, which he led through a difficult period, associated with many external and internal challenges,” said the Russian Patriarch.

He added that "The unconditional authority of Benedict XVI as a prominent theologian enabled him to make a significant contribution to the development of cooperation among Christians, to the witness of Christ in the face of a secularized world and to the defense of traditional moral values."

Patriarch Kirill pointed out the late pope emeritus’ appreciation for the Eastern world. "Having met him personally several times, I had the opportunity to testify to his deep love for Eastern Christianity and, in particular, his sincere respect for the tradition of Russian Orthodoxy. During the pontificate of Benedict XVI, relations between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church developed significantly in the spirit of fraternal cooperation and the desire for interaction in the path of overcoming the sometimes painful legacy of the past," he said.

Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Rev. Justin Welby said in his message that he was united with the Catholics in mourning the passing away of Benedict XVI. He said that during his long life of service to Jesus, the German pope emeritus saw great changes in the world. He pointed out Benedict XVI lived in Nazi Germany, served in World War II, took part in Vatican II as a theologian and lived in a divided Germany as an archbishop before witnessing its unification after the fall of the Berlin Wall.

"Pope Benedict was one of the greatest theologians of his time, committed to the faith of the Church and steadfast in its defense. In all things, especially in his writings and preaching, he looked to Jesus Christ, the image of God invisible. He was very clear that Christ was the root of his thought and the basis of his prayer," said Archbishop Welby in his message.

He also praised the bold decision of Benedict XVI to step down from the papacy in 2013 after acknowledging human frailty that affects all people. He concluded by saying that the pope emeritus led a life of prayer and has now gone to eternal rest.