Moscow (AsiaNews) – The Russian translation of the encyclical Spe Salvi is being presented today in the Russian capital. The event, according to its’ organisers, “represents an occasion for an encounter and dialogue between the Catholic Church and Russian Church”.
The presentation, which will take place in the “Library of the Spirit”, will be addressed by Catholic Archbishop Paolo Pezzi and Fr. Vladimir Shmalij, secretary of the Synod Theological Commission of the Orthodox Patriarchate and vice-rector of the Sergiev Posad theological academy.
The publication of the encyclical was organised by the Franciscan Editions, the Apostolic Nunziature and the Catholic news agency Agnuz. The Russian translation of Spe Salvi is not, however, an isolated event: 2006, the Library of the Spirit already launched an edition of “Introduction to Christianity”, written by the then Cardinal Ratzinger. The forward to the edition was written by Metropolitan Kirill.
The library of the Spirit was opened in Moscow in 1993 by the “Christian Russia” Foundation together with the Orthodox Centre of Sts. Cyril and Methodius of Minsk and Caritas Moscow. There, Catholics and Orthodox work side-by-side, promoting (through encounters, exhibitions and publications) the opportunity for discussion and ecumenical dialogue.
