VATICAN CITY. The Pope and Kirill could meet by the summer in neutral territory, therefore neither Oltretevere nor in Moscow. The Russian Orthodox Church hopes for an in-person meeting between the Patriarch and Pope Francis for “this year”.
Russia-Ukraine war, Moscow offers ceasefire in Mariupol from 10am tomorrow. Russian troops out of Chernobyl. Zelensky: “We are preparing for attacks in the Donbass”
UPDATES FROM THE UKRAINE BY FRANCESCO SEMPRINI AND NICCOLÒ ZANCAN. LIVE FROM GIAMPIERO MAGGIO
The Russian embassy to the Holy See writes in a tweet, relaunching an article by Ria Novosti which reports the statements in this sense by Metropolitan Hilarion, head of international relations of the patriarchate of Moscow. He said that “work is underway” on this summit, adding that due to the development of events in Ukraine, the Pope and the Patriarch needed to communicate even if at a distance.
Despite the availability expressed several times by Jorge Mario Bergoglio and by the Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin, up to now the Holy See has not been able to officially mediate in the conflict in Ukraine: in the Sacred Chambers, this impossibility is motivated by the lack of availability of Russia, at the net of Francis’ excellent relations with the Russian ambassador to the Holy See Alexander Avdeev. But today’s signal from Kirill, very close to President Vladimir Putin, can be a decisive diplomatic turning point, because he suggests that the thread of dialogue is to be kept open from Moscow.
Hilarion points out that “the interview that took place on video last March 16 between Kirill and Pope Bergoglio was very important: the Patriarch and the Bishop of Rome together to” stop the fire “of the war – which” is never the way “- in Ukraine, because those who “pay the bill” are “the people, they are the Russian soldiers sent to die by bombing, and it is those who are bombed and die”. It was a passage of the video call. The conversation focused on the conflict in Eastern Europe and “the role of Christians in doing everything possible for peace to prevail”, explained Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni.
In thanking the Patriarch for the meeting, “motivated by the desire to indicate, as pastors of their people, a path to peace”, the Pope agreed with Kirill that “the Church must not use the language of politics, but the language of Jesus. We are shepherds of the same Holy People who believe in God, in the Holy Trinity, in the Holy Mother of God: for this we must unite in the effort to help peace, to help those who suffer, to seek ways of peace “.
Bergoglio highlighted that “as pastors we have the duty to be close to and help all the people who suffer from war. At one time there was also talk in our Churches of holy war or just war. Today we cannot speak like that. The Christian awareness of the importance of peace has developed ”.
Before the conflict in Ukraine broke out, emissaries from the Holy See and the Moscow Patriarchate were already working on a second meeting, after the one in Cuba in 2016, between Pope Francis and Kirill. Avdeev had also given an indication of the timing: “In June or July”. It was February 18: six days later the Russians started bombing Kiev. But now a crack opens again.
And a visit by Pope Francis to the Ukrainians in Kiev? Would it really be possible? In recent days Parolin has not ruled out him, declaring that “he is unable to say it, they say they can guarantee security and I know that President Macron will go … maybe Johnson too …”.