To say that a new phase in dialogue has begun between Rome and Moscow “would be going a bit too far”. But “a very small step” towards “some cooperation between the two Churches that did not exist before” has been taken. That’s how Vladimir Zelinsky, Russian orthodox priest interprets the declarations made in recent days by Metropolitan Kirill to the Russian Synod with regard to relations with Rome. Zelinski forms part of the Russian exarchate of Western Europe, which is in communion with Moscow but under the jurisdiction of Constantinople. “Kirill explains Zelinsky informed the Synod on the current situation and spoke of some kind of cooperation in the framework of the mixed Commission set up after Cardinal Kasper’s visit to Moscow, after acknowledging some willingness to discuss some aspects such as proselytism. So it’s a very small step”. Is this the road we should pursue? “Kasper replies Zelinsky opened the door to cooperation and in practice gave his consent to the creation of this mixed commission. Another positive fact, though it is more in the nature of a gesture, was the Vatican’s return of the icon of the Mother of God to Moscow”. As regards the work of this Commission, we are only at the beginning. The second session was held on 23 September and the Commission decided to prescribe the presence of Russian priests in Catholic institutes and orphanages, often accused to being a cover for proselytism. But according to my information, the problem is that the priests themselves have no great wish to go there”. Zelinsky adds in this connection: “The charitable activity that the Catholic Church conducts on behalf of children and orphans cannot be condemned, because if it were not for the Catholics no one would run these homes”. Zelinsky lastly recalls that in the same intervention to the Russian Synod, Kirill also enumerated “the many things that divide the two Churches: he spoke of the Pope’s visit to the Ukraine which was treated in a critical way by the Russians, the appointment of bishops without any consultation with the Russian Church, and the situation of the Ukrainian patriarchate that as an act of courtesy the Pope has placed on hold”.
