Catholics and Orthodox in Russia seek possible areas of cooperation

Moscow (AsiaNews) – "Cooperation between the two Churches in the field of thought and of social activity": there were the topics, as explained by the spokesman of the Orthodox Patriarchate, Vsevolod Chaplin, at the heart of talks this afternoon in Moscow between the metropolitan of Smolensk and Kaliningrad, Kirill, and the president of the Vatican department for Justice and Peace, Cardinal Renato Martino on visit in Russia. From the information released by the spokesman, it seems that the meeting touched on the topics that the Russian Catholic community had hoped would be addressed with the Patriarch Aleksij II by the Vatican representative. Though disappointed that there was no meeting with the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, the Catholic community in Moscow says that it understands the Patriarch's difficulties and invites the highest ecclesiastic authorities of both parties to foster the collaborative realities that already exist as opposed to focussing only on the episodes of conflict.

The Patriarch of Moscow and all the Russias was to have received the president of Justice and Peace this morning, but the appointment was cancelled at the last minute. It was again Chaplin who explained that the decision was due to "technical" problems. AsiaNews spoke by telephone with Fr Igor Vyzhanov, Secretary for inter-Christian affairs at the Moscow Patriarchate, who explained that there is "no political motive," behind the programme change, "only health problems" affecting the Patriarch. Fr Vyzhanov said that he "hoped" that this incident would not lead to tension at the diplomatic level. "Unfortunately, it was a matter of unforeseeable events that cannot be taken into account in advance," he said, "as can happen in life." There has, of yet, been no official comment from the Vatican side, but figures in the Russian Catholic community, in speaking to AsiaNews, could not conceal their disappointment over the matter. Viktor Kroul, a close collaborator of the Archbishop of the Mother of God Diocese of Moscow, Archbishop Tadeusz Kondrusiewicz, and editor of the Catholic periodical, Svet Evangelia, told AsiaNews, "We respect the decision of the Patriarchate to cancel the meeting and the reason for doing so is more than understandable." He also added, however, that "it is a pity that this meeting did not take place; we had placed a lot of hopes on it." Catholics had hoped that, with today's appointment, the Cardinal and the Patriarch could find "concrete areas and forms of brotherly cooperation in fields where the two Churches have the same approach and are not in conflict: social work first of all, care to the needy, the defence of life, and the media." Kroul stressed the importance of the two Churches committing themselves to a greater degree to those activities that hold the promise of feasible cooperation. "In Kaliningrad," he said, "there are examples of Catholic and Orthodox parishes that carry out joint activities and projects." "It would be very important," he went on to say, "that those responsible on both sides blessed these activities and created institutional forms to strengthen them." This Catholic exponent highlighted how a Joint Commission for studying areas of tension exists, but not one for cooperation: "So far, such institutions have only to do with negative aspects in our relations and it's a pity."

Cardinal Martin, who arrived in Russia on November 27, had come at the invitation of Archbishop Kondrusiewicz to present the Compendium on the Social Doctrine of the Church, published last year, and already translated into Russian, by the Vatican department led by the cardinal, who was accompanied on his trip by the Secretary of Justice and Peace, Bishop Giampaolo Crepaldi. The mission to Russia by the president of Justice and Peace fits into the attempts to iron out the difficult relations between the two Churches. Aleksij II has always been very critical of "proselytism", of which he accuses the Catholic Church in countries of the post-Soviet area, and was the reason that had prevented John Paul II from making a much wished-for trip to Moscow.

Fr Vyzhanov tells of how Cardinal Martino "is appreciated and held in esteem within the Patriachate." "I spoke with him over these days," he said, "and confirmed the impression of a respectful personality, who is not seeking a scandal at all costs." "I hope," the Secretary concluded, "that the Cardinal's visit is a step forward in the development of cooperation between our Churches, which have the shared duty of defending Christian values in contemporary society." (MA)

• RUSSIA
• VATICAN
• CHRISTIANS
• CATHOLIC
• CHURCH
• ECUMENISM