Posted on 07/05/2009 1:36:39 PM PDT by kronos77
7 hours ago VATICAN CITY (AP) — Russia's president says Moscow plans to improve its ties with the Vatican. Tensions between the Russian Orthodox and Roman Catholic churches over property disputes and other issues have so far made it impossible for any pope to visit Moscow. Russian President Dmitry Medvedev told Italian reporters in an interview ahead of the G-8 summit in Italy this week that relations between his country and the Vatican will "in all likelihood be developed further." He also said the possibility of diplomatic ties is under discussion. He declined to say if Pope Benedict XVI will travel to Russia anytime soon. The previous pontiff, Polish-born John Paul II, was frustrated in his desire to go to Russia. Part of the interview was shown Sunday on Italian state TV.
(Excerpt) Read more at google.com ...
Russia, Vatican to boost diplomatic ties
July 05 2009 at 12:40PM
Moscow - Russia and the Vatican may upgrade their diplomatic ties to ambassadorial level, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said in an interview to Italian media published Sunday by the Kremlin.
“We have relations at the level of representatives, now we are discussing the possibility of boosting ties to a full format, to make them ambassadorial, fully-fledged diplomatic relations,” Medvedev said.
The Russian leader refused to comment on relations between the Holy See and the Moscow patriarchate, as “our holy fathers can well hold that dialogue on their own, and that is a very separate issue.”
Relations between the Vatican and the Russian Orthodox Church have been tense for some years now, after the previous Moscow patriarch accused Catholics of proselytising in Russia.
Somehow, this seems suspicious to me. Wonder what the motive is?
Ouch, the Roman/Orthodox squabble goes back almost a millennium. Has the Pope been boycotting Russia all these years due to the issue of who owns the church buildings?
They don't seem to get bent out of shape with Britain over the Anglican church, and if this is on principle they would have at least equal cause to do that. There has to be more to the story.
Russian Orthodox Church is in same time holding talks with Greek Orthodox church in Constantinople.
Vatican have very friendly stance towards Russia and Orthodox Christians, also with Serbia and Vatican refused to reckognize Kosovo.
So far, Russia is building “Big alliance” going to Vatican and Israel. Now it wont be military-political alliance, but rather “Bog non-agression pact”.
Not realy.
Pope JP II wanted to visit Russia, but Russian Church protested planed visit. And Russian state is christian (Church have power over government in anything about spiritual ynd religious).
Pope is actualy hoping to visit Russia and Serbia.
Related:
Orthodox leaders give message of unity in Istanbul
ISTANBUL - Fener Greek Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew and the head of the Russian Orthodox Church Patriarch Kirill gave the message of solidarity and unity in their meeting in Istanbul on Saturday.
Patriarch Kirill arrived in Turkey on Saturday for a three-day visit and met with Barholomew. Kirill also attended a religious service before the meeting, the state-run Anatolian Agency reported.
They were expected to discuss the sensitive issue of the churches in Ukraine and Estonia during the visit of Krill who enthroned in February to lead the Russian Orthodox Church.
Priests kissed Kirill’s hands and children gave him flowers when he arrived to the sound of bells ringing at the Patriarchal Church of Saint George, where he blessed parishioners and prayed at icons, Reuters reported.
“I hope my visit will be the start of a renewal in our relationship,” Kirill told reporters before his talks with Patriarch Bartholomew.
He said he agrees with the message of Bartholomew that the two institutions find themselves as members of a joint church.
Bartholomew, an ethnic Greek but a Turkish citizen, said Kirill’s presence in Istanbul is a message of unity. “Your visit to the patriarchate and the mother church is a source of great joy and deep emotion. Your presence here carries the message of unity, togetherness and fraternity with the Holy Russian Church,” Bartholomew was quoted as saying by the news agencies.
Relations between the Churches have been strained in the past because Churches in some former Soviet states, such as Estonia, have broken away from the Russian Orthodox Church and tried to pledge allegiance to Bartholomew instead.
A spokesman for Bartholomew said the Churches of Estonia and Ukraine were expected to be on the agenda during the talks, Reuters also reported.
Ukraine and Russia have long been in dispute over the ex-Soviet state’s right to its own independent church. The global Orthodox Church does not recognize the Ukrainian Church.
Kirill will attend a joint mass with Bartholomew on Sunday and is expected to hold talks with Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan and President Abdullah Gul when he then visits Ankara.
Kirill, leader of 160 million Russian Orthodox believers, is seen as an outspoken modernizer who may thaw ties with the Catholic Church. He was de facto “foreign minister” of the Moscow patriarchate for two decades before succeeding Alexiy II.
How many saints does the Kremlin have?
Become Christians, that would help.
You can’t get much better than that tie. These commies are too picky.
Has he tried their gift shop?
“Yeah and about us trying to kill Pope John Paul II, no hard feelings, eh?”
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