Historic meeting between Pope, Russian Patriarch

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MOSCOW – The patriarch of Russia’s Orthodox Church will take part in an historic first meeting with the Roman Catholic pontiff on Feb. 12 because of the need for a joint response to the persecution of Christians in the Middle East, the Orthodox Church said.

Senior Orthodox cleric Metropolitan Hilarion said that long-standing differences between the two churches remain, most notably a row over the status of the Uniate Church, in Ukraine.

But he said these differences were being put aside so that Patriarch Kirill and Pope Francis could come together over persecution of Christians.

religionnews.com/2016/02/05/historic-meeting-between-pope-russian-patriarch/

 

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In Historical Move, Pope to Meet With Leader of Russian Orthodox Church

VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis will make a surprise trip to Cuba on Feb. 12 for a historic meeting with the leader of the Russian Orthodox Church, marking the first meeting between a pope and the Russian patriarch since the eastern and western branches of Christianity split nearly 1,000 years ago, the Vatican announced on Friday.

For Francis, the meeting is the result of delicate and sustained diplomacy, some of which began decades ago under Pope John Paul II, and is another important milestone in his efforts to reconcile the Roman Catholic Church with Eastern Orthodox Christian churches.

The breakthrough also underscores Francis’s ties to Cuba, as President Raúl Castro “was involved in organizing the meeting,” said Father Federico Lombardi, the Vatican spokesman, at a news conference.

nytimes.com/2016/02/06/world/europe/pope-francis-cuba-russian-orthodox-church.html?_r=0