Pope meets Russian Orthodox number two ahead of meeting with Patriarch

By Philip Pullella

– Pope Francis met Bishop Anthony, the second strongest chief of the Russian Orthodox Church, on Friday forward of an anticipated summit subsequent month with its Patriarch Kirill, who helps the conflict in Ukraine.

It was their first assembly since Anthony’s predecessor, Hilarion, was ousted in June in an abrupt choice indicating discord on the prime of the Moscow Patriarchate over the battle.

The Vatican listed Anthony on the pope’s official appointments however gave no particulars of what was mentioned within the personal viewers.

The pope will attend a congress of spiritual leaders within the Kazakh capital Nur-Sultan on Sept. 13-15, the place he has mentioned he hoped to satisfy with Kirill.

Bulat Sarsenbayev, head of the Kazakh organisation internet hosting the congress, instructed the Astana Instances that Kirill has confirmed his presence there.

An in depth ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Kirill has given enthusiastic backing to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which the patriarch views as a bulwark in opposition to a West he considers decadent.

Kirill’s stance has precipitated a rift with the Vatican and unleashed an inside rebel that has led to the severing of ties by some native Orthodox Church buildings with the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC).

Francis, who has known as the battle a “merciless and mindless conflict of aggression”, had deliberate to satisfy Kirill on June 14 in Jerusalem however cancelled on the recommendation of Vatican diplomats.

They've met as soon as, in Cuba in 2016 – the primary assembly between a pope and a pacesetter of the Russian Orthodox Church for the reason that Nice Schism of 1054.

In an interview with Reuters final month, Francis mentioned he wished to go to the Kyiv after his return from Canada on July 30, but additionally wished to go to Moscow, ideally first, to advertise peace.

Putin has described Moscow’s actions in Ukraine as a “particular army operation” geared toward demilitarising and “denazifying” the nation. Ukraine and the West have labelled the battle an unprovoked Russian conflict of aggression.

(This story fixes transliteration of Bishop’s identify to ‘Anthony’ all through)