![](\"https:\/\/www.catholicnewsagency.com\/images\/size340\/Patriarch_Kirill_of_the_Russian_Orthodox_Church_Credit_Nickolay_Vinokurov_via_wwwshutterstockcom_CNA.jpg\")
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Vatican City, Feb 11, 2016 \/ 12:08 am (CNA\/EWTN News<\/a>).- The first, historic meeting between a Pope and a Patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church does not come from nowhere. Both the Russian Orthodox Patriarchate and the Holy See have been working on such an event for decades.<\/p>\n In at least three cases under recent Popes, such a meeting seemed about to take place. Once under St. John Paul II and twice under Benedict XVI. But then nothing happened.<\/p>\n Why, then, did the Feb. 11 meeting suddenly become possible? There are at least four different reasons. He said that \u201cthe situation as it has developed today in the Middle East, in North and Central Africa and in some other regions, in which extremists are perpetrating a real genocide of the Christian population, has required urgent measures and closer cooperation between Christian Churches.\u201d<\/p>\n Metropolitan Hilarion added that \u201cin the present tragic situation, it is necessary to put aside internal disagreements and unite efforts to save Christianity in the regions where it is subjected to the most severe persecution.\u201d The term refers to the Eastern Catholic Churches who were previously Eastern Orthodox Churches. The question was exacerbated during the conflict in the Ukraine. So much so that the same Metropolitan Hilarion took the floor at the Catholic Church\u2019s 2014 synod of bishops to complain about the Greek Catholic Church in Ukraine. He objected that the Church was active in dioceses of the Moscow patriarchate.<\/p>\n The metropolitan\u2019s actions seemed to freeze relations between the Catholic Church and the Russian Orthodox Church.<\/p>\n However, the desire for a meeting between the Patriarch and the Pope was great, according to Father Giovanni Guaita, who worked for the Russian Orthodox Church Department for External Affairs.<\/p>\n \u201cDespite any possible division, in the face of religious fundamentalism and of terrorism\u2026it is clear that Christians must be more united,\u201d he stressed. Likely, the joint declaration will mostly deal with an appeal against the persecution of Christians. \u201cWhile the world is experiencing a sort of moral liberalism, the Catholic Church and the Russian Orthodox Church are a rampart for traditional values, and for this reason they are more united together. Together, they can launch a message of morality to the world.\u201d \u201cThere are still not the right conditions for this meeting to take place in Russia or in Italy. But America is the new world. While Europe is the continent of divisions, America provides the image of a much younger continent. The choice of Cuba can represent a message of hope, the signal that we can start again from new relationships.\u201d A further step would be an advancement in ecumenical dialogue. The last theological document was issued in Ravenna, Italy by a Catholic-Orthodox mixed commission. Both parties agreed that the Pope of Rome has a sort of primacy, and presides in charity for the other Christian churches. But still, there is not any agreement about how this primacy must be exercised. Photo credit: Nickolay Vinokurov via www.shutterstock.com<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n
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\nThe need to counter anti-Christian persecution<\/strong>
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\nBoth the Catholic Church and Russian Orthodox Church have spoken out clearly to stop the \u201cgenocide\u201d of Christians that is taking place in parts of the world. It is now time to join their voices.
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\nMetropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, head of the Department for External Relations of the Russian Orthodox Church, clearly spelled out the situation in a Feb. 5 press conference.<\/p>\n
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\nMetropolitan Hilarion\u2019s reference to \u201cinternal disagreements\u201d alludes to that part of Russian Orthodoxy that always rejected the possibility of a meeting with the Pope.
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\nFor Metropolitan Hilarion, the problems with the Catholic Church still hold. He said the \u201cprinciple problem\u201d in relations between the two Churches and the \u201cprincipal obstacle\u201d for a meeting between the two primates has lied in the \u201cUniate\u201d controversy.<\/p>\n
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\nThe priest told CNA Feb. 7 that the upcoming meeting will show \u201cthat Christians must be more united in responding to religious fundamentalism and in denouncing the persecution of Christians.\u201d<\/p>\n
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\nThe need to counter global immorality<\/strong>
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\nFr. Guaita cited a second reason why the meeting needed to take place now.<\/p>\n
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\nIn this sense, he said, the choice of Cuba is meaningful.<\/p>\n
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\nWill these new relationships overcome the Ukrainian issue? It is hard to know. While everything appeared to be set for the announcement of the meeting with the Pope, the Russian Orthodox Synod issued Jan. 28 a strongly worded declarations that reiterated the attacks on the Greek Catholic Church in the Ukraine.
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\nFor this reason, the head of the Ukrainian Catholic Church, Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk of Kiev-Halych, said Feb. 5 that he does not expect that the meeting will bring any particular changes.
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\nArchbishop Shevchuk then underscored that \u201cthe meeting cannot be an end in itself, but must rather be an instrument, a necessary means for honest and open dialogue.\u201d He added that he is \u201cpleased that we are no longer considered an obstacle and aren\u2019t being used to justify one\u2019s unwillingness to engage in such dialogue.\u201d
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\nThe Russian government needs a foreign affairs boost<\/strong>
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\nDuring the Ukrainian conflict, the issue of the Ukrainian Church became a political issue, given that the Russian Orthodox Church has always sided with the Russian administration. According to a source close to the Patriarchate of Moscow, \u201cthe Russian Orthodox Church has often acted as a sort of shadow ministry for the Foreign Affairs of the Russian administration.\u201d
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\nAt the moment, Russia\u2019s diplomatic situation is isolated. Relations with Turkey are very poor after a Russian warplane was shot down the last November. Many in the international community oppose Russia\u2019s strong support for Syrian president Bashar Assad.
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\nFacing this diplomatic isolation, Russian president Vladimir Putin met with Pope Francis in Rome two times in three years: in November 2013 and in June 2015. In both cases, they spoke about the Middle East situation, with a special view to Syria, and about persecuted Christians.
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\n\u201cPutin is presenting himself as the champion of the protection of persecuted Christians, and the Russian Orthodox Church helps him keep this image vivid,\u201d a source close to the Patriarchate told CNA Feb. 9. In the end, \u201cthe meeting between Patriarch Kirill and Pope Francis shows that Russia is open, and that the Pope is close and sensitive to Russia.\u201d
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\nThe Russian Orthodox Church looks ahead to the Pan-Orthodox Synod<\/strong>
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\nThe Russian Orthodox Patriarchate also finally agreed to meet with the Pope for reasons of ecclesiastical politics. As the June gathering of the Pan-Orthodox Council approaches, Patriarch Kirill must show himself to be as close to Rome as Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople, who promoted and organized the Pan-Orthodox Council.
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\nPatriarch Bartholomew proved to be closer than ever to the Catholic Church during the Pope Francis pontificate. He was the first Orthodox Patriarch ever to take part to a Papal installation Mass. He was present at the global prayer for peace with Pope Francis in the Vatican Gardens in June 2014. He hosted the Pope at his headquarters in Istanbul during the papal visit to Turkey in November 2014.
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\nThis way, Patriarch Bartholomew gained authority among the Orthodox Churches and was able to organize the Pan-Orthodox Council. This is a long-standing dream for the Constantinople Patriarchate that until now was unachievable.
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\nAfter meeting Pope Francis, Patriarch Kirill can go to the Pan-Orthodox Synod on a par with Patriarch Bartholomew. Both the Patriarchate of Moscow and the Patriarchate of Constantinople can claim a privileged and special relationship with the Catholic Church.
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\nIs a Moscow visit still a dream for the Pope?<\/strong>
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\nIn the end, Moscow and Rome are generally improving their relations. Rather than hold an ecumenical meeting, they are going to renew their relations with a common commitment to help persecuted Christians.<\/p>\n
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\nIn the end, a papal trip to Moscow still seems to be a dream. At least, it is not on the agenda yet.
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