“Ecumenical problem number one: Russians barely know what the Catholic Church is

[CopyBoy]

The Russian news agency Interfax has published the results of an opinion survey in which it gauges Russian reactions to the Havana meeting between Pope Francis and Patriarch Kirill, which can be read here.

There are one or two things in the article that will give one pause. The first is that it is clear that the vast majority of the people questioned only had a vague idea of the significance of the meeting.

For example, 67% were aware that the meeting had taken place, which means that 33% had not heard of it at all. Moreover, it is interesting to see that the survey mentions the concept of ‘unification’ between the two Churches. Actually, this is not on the table, and is misleading. What is the eventual goal of East-West ecumenism is the establishment of communion between autocephalous Churches, which is rather different to ‘unification’.

catholicherald.co.uk/commentandblogs/2016/03/10/ecumenical-problem-number-one-russians-barely-know-what-the-catholic-church-is/

 

[Padres1969]

Kind of mind blowing actually. I mean how can anyone be unaware of the Catholic Church even if non-religious? It’s the single largest organized religious body on the planet.

 

[SyroMalankara]

Africa is the 2nd largest continent but in the Americas, most African nations are hardly known or mentioned.

 

[esieffe]

I am surprised there are THAT many people in Russia that know anything about the CC, or any church for that matter. Not their fault really, just left over vestiges from the Soviet era.

 

[JurisPrudens]

catholicherald.co.uk/commentandblogs/2016/03/10/ecumenical-problem-number-one-russians-barely-know-what-the-catholic-church-is/

A good article.

As a Russian, I can confirm many things said.

Generally, Russians don’t know much about religion in general, not to speak about non-Orthodox religions.

Of course, Russians know that Catholics exist. Basically, for many of them, the entire Western Christianity is “Catholic”.
It is hard for Russians to grasp the varieties of Protestantism and their theological differences.
Yes, there are plenty of Russian Evangelicals in various regions. The majority of the population often considers them all “cults” and treats with suspicion.

As a Russian Catholic, I can say that the number of people like me is growing. Russian Catholics do not exceed around 800000 people out of 144 millions in Russia. However, we are on average more attending and religiously active than the average Orthodox. It’s a minority things - minorities are always more religiously active than traditional majorities.

In the Immaculate Conception Cathedral of Moscow alone around two dozen people pass RCIA every year. Many are dissatisfied with the ROC. This even became a problem, so that the priests had to warn us that “Catholicism is not a alternative to Orthodoxy”, that the faith is the same, etc.

 

[Padres1969]

Africa is the 2nd largest continent but in the Americas, most African nations are hardly known or mentioned.

You mean there’s something between Egypt and South Africa?

Joking obviously, but your point is valid I suppose, sadly. My Ivorian co-worker confirmed for me once that most Americans she’s met have no idea what most if any countries in Africa are and some didn’t even realize they lived in houses there (particularly people she’s met in the American South).

 

[oliver927]

Africa is the 2nd largest continent but in the Americas, most African nations are hardly known or mentioned.

But I would bet they know Africa exists. In my opinion, your point is more valid if the previous posters point was that people have heard of the Catholic Church but not realizing the whole Catholic Church is comprised of about 23 individual churches.

 

[Tomdstone]

Do Roman Catholics know that much about the Russian Orthodox Church and their rules for lenten fasting, etc.

 

[JurisPrudens]

I don’t feel like the problem lies in the “tradition superiority”. Everyone is entitled to prefer one’s own tradition. The problem is that some people prefer to see the other side as the “old enemy” and define their identity from this assumption.

 

[JurisPrudens]

Yeah, thou shall treat Russian women nicely!