[ConorMacNessa]

What a sorry state of affairs when a Russian President hob-nobs with the Pope and an American President does his damnedest to undermine the Catholic Church, and for that matter, Christianity at large.

America demands Justice for the Fallen of Benghazi!

O stranger, tell the Lacedaemonians that we lie here, obedient to their command.

Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The LORD hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name. (Isaiah 49:1 KJV)

[Mrs. Don-o]

Yeah, strange timing, considering Obama just shut down the U.S. Embassy building to the Holy See (Vatican) and shipped the office and its staff to some kind of annex connected with with Embassy in Rome (Italy). The diplomatic equivalent of a stick in the eye.

[BeauBo]

I have gone to Russia a few times in the last couple of years, and have really been impressed with the revival of Christianity there. Churches have been widely restored from a terrible condition (having been abandoned for decades, or used for other purposes, like warehouses). Not only are they beautifully restored, but you can see deep reverence from the people visiting. The government under Putin has contributed a lot of money to restore churches.

The Eastern Orthodox churches are different, in that they are closely associated with their Nation. There is no central Pope, but rather an independent Patriarch for each country, appointed by the political head of the country. The Patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church has his residence and office inside the Moscow Kremlin, a few steps from the Presidential Palace.

There has long been an effort to resolve doctrinal differences between the Catholic and Orthodox churches, especially during the papacy of John Paul II. So that is something that should have some mention on the agenda, but I have no idea of this Pope’s approach to that effort.

The situation in Syria is grave for Christians, and the Pope did come out on that issue, writing Putin the letter which triggered the meeting. The Christians in Syria, one of the oldest Christian Churches, have been aligned with Assad’s Russian-backed regime, because the Jihadi alternative to that regime means death for the church in Syria. Christians have been suffering widespread murder, ethnic cleansing and desecration of church property at the hands of Jihadis.

As a practical matter, anyone concerned about saving Christians and Christianity in Syria would probably get a more favorable hearing, and more effective assistance from Putin than Obama.