Russia's Orthodox Church has pledged "solidarity and support" for the Catholic Church in France in its campaign against a bill to allow same-sex marriage by the Socialist Government of President Francois Hollande. In a letter, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, the Moscow Patriarchate's external relations director, praised Cardinal André Vingt-Trois, president of France's bishops' conference, for his "consistent and uncompromising" opposition to same-sex marriage which represented "the truly Christian view" on the issue. He told the cardinal the Moscow Patriarchate was ready to work with French bishops "to protect the Gospel's ethical values". The Russian prelate added: "It is gratifying that...