Msgr. Migliore, nuncio in Russia. The Moscow Patriarchate’s hopes for collaboration
by Nina Achmatova

Orthodox secretary for inter-Christian relations: "One of the most expert diplomats, we hope to contribute to developing relations between the two Churches, now growing after the Patriarch and the Pope’s meeting in Cuba."


Moscow (AsiaNews) - The Moscow Patriarchate hopes that the appointment of Mgr. Celestino Migliore (see photo) as apostolic nuncio to the Russian Federation will contribute to the development of joint initiatives with Catholics to protect Christian and traditional values ​​in the world. "Especially the fact that he is among the most expert Vatican diplomats and has served in several countries and in many responsible positions in the Vatican Foreign department”.

The news of the appointment of the new nuncio was welcomed with satisfaction, by hieromonk Stefan (Igumnov) head of Inter-Christian relations in the Moscow Patriarchate department for External Church Relations, speaking to Interfax news agency.

The Orthodox representative said he was confident that the new nuncio will make "a significant contribution to the development of relations between the Russian Orthodox Church and Catholic Churches of Rome, which today are growing, especially after the meeting between Patriarch Kirill and Pope Francis in Havana".

"The result of this meeting shaped largely on the current situation of bilateral relations, which we hope to develop in an active way, even through cooperation with the new nuncio," he added. He believes the most important part of this context is represented by the joint efforts of the Russian and Catholic Churches "in the direction of support for suffering Christians in the Middle East, as well as for the defense of traditional moral values, which today face serious challenges" .

On May 28, the Holy See announced the appointment of the new nuncio in Moscow Msgr.Migliore.  Up until now he was the Vatican representative in Poland. He succeeds Msgr. Ivan Jurkovic, who a few days after the historic meeting of Cuba, ended his mandate as he was moved to the post of permanent observer at the United Nations in Geneva. Msgr. Migliore was already, among other things, Vatican undersecretary for relations with states and permanent observer at the UN in New York.