Nuncio in Moscow: modest progress with Russia and patriarchate
Ties with the Orthodox Church should not be bogged down by sterile research into who is in the wrong and who is in the right. We are called to build true brotherhood.
Moscow (AsiaNews) In recent years, there has been "progress, albeit modest", in ties between the Holy See, Russia and the Russian Orthodox Church, according to the Apostolic Nuncio in Russia, Mgr Antonio Mennini. He said that especially as regards links with the Orthodox, one should not "waste time in sterile research about who is in the wrong and who is in the right. We are called to build real brotherhood. Let's now allow ourselves to be paralyzed by the unhappy experiences of the past." These are some of the views shared by the Vatican diplomat in a long interview with Victor Khrul, director of the Russian Catholic newspaper, Svet Evangelia, "Light of the Gospel", which AsiaNews has reproduced in part.
Which changes of recent times do you consider as most important in the life of the Church in Russia?
I am gladdened at least this is how I see it that, little by little, relations with our Orthodox brothers are improving. This does not exclude that more difficulties await us along this path, but we know that we are walking hand in hand and also that the road is evening out. I am deeply convinced it is precisely the improvement of ties between the different Christian communities that will help Russian Catholicism to gain its proper place, in dignity and recognized by all, within society.
Can you please clarify the current situation of ties between the Vatican and Russia? What is standing in the way of the establishment of diplomatic relations at embassy-level?
Without getting into technical details, I can say that relations continue to develop very positively, even in international forums. It does not seem to me entirely correct to say that something or someone is creating an "obstacle" to the installation of full diplomatic relations. For the moment, I would rather say that their fully convincing, objective necessity recognized by both parties does not exist yet. If I had to choose between form and content, I would opt for the second. It seems to me that from this point of view, we are on the right path, and the form will sooner or later adjust to the content, that is, to the reality it reflects. In any case, the Nunciature is working with all its strength in this direction. I believe that this position is shared by our interlocutors in the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation.
In your view, what obstacles are there to ecumenical activity in Russia? What concrete steps by Catholics in Russia could lead, according to you, to significant improvement of the inter-confessional situation in Russia?
It seems to me that the foundation of Christian collaboration, of brotherly love between Christians should be life itself, lived in conformity with the Gospel. So I believe the very formulation of your question conceals a certain danger: the expression "ecumenical activity" risks a certain technicality, which does not take into consideration the necessity of educating oneself and others about the need of the Christian community to overcome reciprocal diffidence and consequently, division the Christian is called above all to seek out his own mistakes. In a long conflict, usually both parties hold a measure of responsibility. In the name of charity, we are always called to be the first to stretch out our hand and to smile. And perhaps we must do it not only once, but more times: on the other hand, there is no other way, and this is not out of "professional duty", but rather to implement the Christian vocation we are called to.
We are called to build a true brotherhood. Let's not allow ourselves to be paralyzed by the unhappy experiences of the past, we should not do as Lot's wife did; let's listen instead to the Lord who tells us once again: "Here, I make all things new."
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