ECUMENISM
A halt was made to the possibility of a meeting between pope Benedict XVI and Patriarch Alexis II together with the acknowledgement of closer contacts between Moscow and Rome. Two differing statements arrived from the Patriarch of Moscow. The first statement, issued by the Russian news agency “Interfax” is by father Igor Vizhanov, Secretary for inter-Christian relations of the department for foreign relations of the Patriarchate of Moscow. Father Vizhanov was asked to comment a recent statement of Cardinal Walter Kasper, President of the Pontifical Council for Christian Unity who stated that a meeting between the Pope and Patriarch Alexis II could improve relations between the Orthodox and the Catholic Churches. “The meeting”, pointed out the Russian prelate, “has never been refused. However, there are a series of issues that need to be solved first, so that the meeting may mark a new step in our mutual relations. No specific debate on this subject is under way at the moment”. Among the problems pointed out by Father Vizhanov, figures the relationship between the Greek-Catholic and the Orthodox Churches in Western Ukraine along with the proselytism of the Catholic Church in Russia and in other CIS Countries. On the same day, the news bulletin “Europaica” – promoted by the representative of the Russian Orthodox Church in Brussels – issued a statement by metropolite Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad emphasizing the closer relationship with Catholics under the pontificate of Benedict XVI. Both Catholics and Orthodox “clearly understand, today more than ever,the increasing importance of a joint testimony of Christian values to the world”.
