His visit is believed to give spiritual support to the Russian-speaking minority, which complains of discrimination by local authorities.
Alexy II conducted a divine service in a Riga cathedral and met with Latvia's president. Vaira Vike-Freiberga thanked the Russian patriarch for his efforts to restore spiritual traditions and Orthodoxy in places where they had been forgotten.
"I am convinced that these meetings [with the president and government officials]... will help strengthen mutual understanding [and] friendship between the nations," the patriarch said. He wished God's blessing and peace to all Latvian residents and prosperity to the country.
Metropolitan of Riga and all Latvia Alexander, Metropolitan of Tallinn and all Estonia Cornelius, Latvia's finance minister and diplomats met the Russian church leader in the airport.
Metropolitan Alexander said the visit by Alexy II would give a chance to Latvia's Orthodox citizens to feel they were not alone and not forgotten.
"For Orthodox believers, and not only Orthodox, your visit is a historical event," he said. "Because we know that we have not been forgotten, we have a Patriarch, who is our spiritual father."
