Card. Walter Kasper, President of the Papal Council for the promotion of the unity of Christians, will leave today for a trip in the Russian Federation on the invitation of His Eminence Kyrill, Metropolitan Bishop of Smolensk and Kaliningrad and President of the Department for External Ecclesiastic Relations of the Patriarchate of Moscow. It was revealed today by the Vatican Ministry headed by card. Kasper. The trip reads a note , from 21 to 30 May 2008, will take him to different parts of the country. His visit will begin with the celebration of Corpus Domini in the Catholic Cathedral of the Mother of God in Moscow, on the invitation of archbishop Paolo Pezzi. He should also have a meeting with His Holiness the Patriarch Alexius II, to whom card. Kasper will give a message and a gift from his Holiness Pope Benedict XVI. Personally invited by the Metropolitan Bishop Kyrill, card. Kasper will also attend the celebration of the saint’s day of the High Orthodox leader in Smolensk. (continued)
