An historic meeting between Pope Francis and Patriarch Kirill is now in progress. There has been speculation about this meeting since last spring, when officials of the Moscow Patriarchate made several visits to the Holy See. More recently, information was leaked about a forthcoming meeting through non-official press channels, but even for experts it was hard to imagine that this could be accurate. The “unpredictable” Pope Francis has again surprised his flock and the world!
What is at stake in this meeting?
First, let us consider the official joint press release of the two churches:
The Holy See and the Patriarchate of Moscow are pleased to announce that, by the grace of God, His Holiness Pope Francis and His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia will meet on February 12. Their meeting will take place in Cuba, where the Pope will make a stop on his way to Mexico, and where the Patriarch will be on an official visit. It will include a personal conversation at Havana’s José Martí International Airport, and will conclude with the signing of a joint declaration.
This meeting of the Primates of the Catholic Church and the Russian Orthodox Church, after a long preparation, will be the first in history and will mark an important stage in relations between the two Churches. The Holy See and the Moscow Patriarchate hope that it will also be a sign of hope for all people of good will. They invite all Christians to pray fervently for God to bless this meeting, that it may bear good fruits.
The Roman Pontiff is making a special effort to meet the Patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church, stopping on his way to Mexico. The decision to meet at an airport (which is not a common venue of formal encounters between primates of churches!) says something about the desire to keep an informal, low profile. But the official press statement suggests the opposite: the church leaders will sign a joint declaration, which they have been discussing during a long preparation process. The symbolism of meeting in Cuba is also to be noted. For many years, Cuba was a close ally of Soviet Russia, especially during the Cold War; and only last year, Pope Francis played a significant role in the restoration of relations between Cuba and the USA.
Two formal comments have been made by official spokesmen of the Churches since the meeting was announced: both Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Department of External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate, and Father Hyacinthe Destivelle, a Dominican friar who is responsible for relations with the Slavic Orthodox Churches at the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, have given interviews. The interview by Fr. Destivelle shared much rhetoric with Metropolitan Hilarion’s comments. According to both, “divisive issues” between the Orthodox Church and the Catholic Church, i.e. theological and doctrinal questions, will not be addressed, despite the importance already being attributed to the meeting. In addition, Cardinal Péter Erdő, president of the Council of the Bishops’ Conferences of Europe, expressed great joy over the news of the meeting, which he assesses as a step towards unity.
brava!