Pope and Russian Orthodox leader unlikely to meet soon

News From Russia ^ | 12/1/05

[x5452]

A high-ranking Vatican envoy says Pope and Russian Orthodox leader unlikely to meet soon

21:08 2005-12-01 A high-ranking Vatican envoy on today praised progress in the Holy See's cooperation with the Russian Orthodox Church, but indicated that disagreements between the two churches were still preventing its leaders from holding a meeting any time soon.

"We established a heartfelt mutual understanding between our churches, and we see in this a source for future cooperation," Cardinal Renato Martino, who heads the Vatican's Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, said of his talks in Moscow. However, asked whether a meeting between Pope Benedict XVI and Russian Orthodox Patriarch Alexy II was imminent, he said: "we begin with small steps."

Martino said the two churches had very close positions on social issues, and that a conference on that subject could be held by delegates of both churches. Russian Orthodox Church spokesman Igor Vyzhanov agreed that the Vatican envoy's visit was fruitful.

Vatican and Orthodox leaders have long been talking about the need to reconcile the two churches. Benedict XVI has pledged to make healing strained ties with the Orthodox Church a "fundamental" commitment.

Benedict's predecessor, John Paul II, never fulfilled his dream of visiting Russia following the 1991 Soviet collapse because of disputes between the two churches, which have been split since the Great Schism of 1054. Alexy said a papal visit would only be possible after the Catholic Church stops alleged poaching for converts and discrimination against the Orthodox in western Ukraine, reports the AP.

The Vatican has rejected the proselytizing allegations, saying it is only ministering to Russia's tiny Catholic community _ about 600,000 people in a country of about 144 million.

[x5452]

I hope they hold this conference soon.

I suspect however that until all the points hindering the healing of the great schism are completely finalized and all i's are dotted and t's crossed that Alexy will not meet with the Pope.

[Cheverus]

This is a good article, because it doesn't say they won't meet. I am thinking, sadly that we might have to wait for the next Patriarch...he keeps harping on the "poaching"... which is at best a stretch.

I bet if you were to look at the statistics for converts to Catholicism in the Russia and other parts of the former Soviet Union you would find that they come from the "un-Churched"

Not really sure where the "discrimination" charge in the Western Ukraine comes from. I suspect that the Ukraine will controversial for some time to come, in Catholic-Orthodox relations, internal Orthodox relations, and internal Catholic relations.

[x5452]

10 years ago the Ukranian Catholic church was actively challanging the Orthodox church's claim to properties (and when they win ceasing the property and kicking the Orthodox clergy and laity who refuse to convert out).

Since Yuschenko won the Ukranian Orthodox Church KP (a non canonical nationalist schismatic church in Ukraine founded by a Russian Orthodox Church leader whom the Patriarchate defrocked) has been proselytizing and disputing properties far more reguraly. (They will convert the main priest in a parish and use that as grounds to have the state turn the deed over to their church.