The setting of the meeting was a “neutral ground”: José Martí International Airport, in Havana.
Pope Francis had just begun his apostolic trip to Mexico, and the Patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church, Kirill, also traveled there. Cuba was chosen as the location for this meeting because of its diplomatic proximity to Moscow.
The meeting between the two leaders was private and lasted about two hours. Once it concluded, a joint statement was issued to reinforce Christian unity and collaboration between Catholics and Orthodox Christians.
It has been 10 years since that moment which paved the way to overcoming tensions, leading to ecumenical advancements.
And it left an image for the history books: the Bishop of Rome and the Patriarch of Moscow, face to face for the first time, after almost 1,000 years of separation since the East–West Schism in 1054.
However, things have changed quite a bit following the invasion of Ukraine.
The Patriarchate chose to align closely with Putin, although this has not meant losing contact with Rome. The Pope and the leader of the Russian Orthodox Church held a conference to discuss peace. The Vatican envoy, tasked with promoting humanitarian initiatives between Russia and Ukraine, was also received in Moscow by the Patriarch.
And that’s not to mention the other meetings that took place between Pope Francis and the Patriarchate’s foreign minister.
How is Patriarch Kirill?
All good, all good.
Give him my regards.
We spoke yesterday and he asked me to pass on his greetings.
Me too.
…so that the second meeting can take place at another time.
In addition, the Pope made public statements defending the faithful of the Russian Orthodox Church in Ukraine.
POPE FRANCIS
I think of the Orthodox sisters of the Kiev Lavra. I ask the warring sides to respect the nuns. The sisters, consecrated to prayer, whatever their confession, sustain the people of God.
What has become clear is how the Ukrainian war has impacted the diplomatic process that began 10 years ago, a moment that took years and years of work to arrive at.
JRB
Trans. CRT
