"Interest in the life of the Orthodox Church is very important for dialogue between our Churches". It was said by Alexius II, Patriarch of Moscow and all Russia, to the President of the Papal Council for the Unity of Christians, card. Walter Kasper, in a meeting in Moscow today. The news has been relayed by the Patriarchate of Moscow, stating that "the unofficial visit of the Catholic prelate aimed to make him familiarise with the life of the Russian Orthodox Church and Russia". Kasper had actually just come back from his visits to the eparchies of Smolensk, Kazan’, Nizhny Novgorod and the convent of Diveyevo. The Patriarchate of Moscow said that Alexius II expressed "his firm belief in the need to further develop dialogue between the Catholic and the Orthodox Church, which relies on the positions of the two churches, which agree on many issues of the contemporary world". They include "the sphere of morality, family and social relations, human rights and bioethics. Our dialogue highlighted Alexius II must lead to develop cooperation between Orthodox and Catholics for the defence of Christian moral values in the world". Card. Kasper thanked the patriarch for the meeting and gave him a letter from Benedict XVI.” “” “” “” “” “
