Pope Francis and Russian Orthodox leader meet to utter 'mutual cry for peace'
Tuesday, February 9, 2016
"When the world is on fire, issues pertaining to ecclesiastical politics play a subordinate role. "
The Feb. 12, 2016 encounter in
Cuba between Pope Francis and Patriarch Kirill
of Moscow and all of Russia marks the first time in history that
a pope and a patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church meet
face-to-face. Peter Humeniuk, Russia
expert for international Catholic charity Aid (ACN) to the Church in Need talked
about the significance of the encounter, the major step forward in
the dialogue between the two Churches, which ACN has been supporting for more
than a quarter century. With more than 100 million
members, the Russian Orthodox Church
is the largest and most influential of the Orthodox Churches. Its voice carries
great weight.
By Eva-Maria Kolmann
Why
is the meeting happening at this particular moment?
Peter
Humeniuk: It’s due to the dramatic international situation. We are witnessing the persecution of Christians to an
extent that has never been seen before. When
the world is on fire, issues pertaining to ecclesiastical politics play a
subordinate role. Bearing witness together is more important than ever before!
How was the news about the
upcoming meeting received by the Russian public and the Orthodox
Church at large?
Reactions have been positive, as was the response of the major
media outlets; you constantly see pictures of
the pope. It sent a very good signal that the
Holy See and the Patriarchate of Moscow announced the news simultaneously.
The meeting is also
seen positively within Orthodoxy. Patriarch Bartholomew,
the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, the news with great satisfaction.
Everyone understands that this
is effectively about a “to be or not to be” of Christianity in these countries.
It is apparent that there is also
consensus within the Orthodox world that the severity of the
situation requires special measures and steps.
What
will change as a result of the meeting between the Pope and Patriarch?
The meeting is therefore a culmination
of what has been achieved up until now, the fruit of a work that has
been in progress for several decades. There
have already been many occasions in the past when both Churches have spoken with one voice. One example I
would like to mention occurred in September of 2013, when Pope Francis and
Patriarch Kirill raised their voices in support of peace in Syria. At the time,
Patriarch Kirill wrote to President Obama, Pope Francis and President Putin. It
is to be expected that the cooperation between the two Churches will become deeper and more intense following
the meeting.
This meeting is of course an incentive and a
confirmation to continue along this path dialogue. There is also a mutual search underway for new forms of cooperation, which should manifest themselves
in new projects and joint campaigns. Important spheres of
activity are opening up, in addition to standing up together against
the persecution of Christians, there will, for example, be
initiatives in support of the Christian
family.
There is much to do here and both Churches have demonstrated a strong
willingness to search for solutions together and to bear witness together. And
in view of the international situation, the Churches can only make themselves heard by raising
their voices together—and put forth a cry for peace.
Church of the Resurrection, St. Petersburg; ACN photo
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