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Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad meets Pope Benedict XVI

7.12.2007 · Архив 2005-2009, События  

On December 7, the Chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate Department for external church relations Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad met with the Pope of Rome Benedict XVI in Vatican.

They discussed a broad range of themes including relations between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church and the Orthodox-Catholic dialogue in general. They expressed their conviction in the necessity to use the instruments of dialogue for agreeing on positions on the problems on its agenda.

The participants in the meeting appreciated the efforts undertaken by both sides after the meeting between Metropolitan Kirill and Benedict XVI after the enthronement of the Pope of Rome in April 2005. These efforts have been aimed at the elaboration of common position of both Churches on the most important problems for the entire humanity. For instance, conferences and consultations were held on the preservation of Christian values in the life of Europe and the world.

The participants expressed their support to cooperation between representatives of the Russian Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church at the international organizations, as well to the participation of both Churches in the multilateral interreligious dialogue.

Pope Benedict XVI appreciated the results of the visit of His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Russia to Strasbourg and Paris and underscored the importance of this visit for the Christian witness before the secular world and for bilateral relations.

The Pope of Rome asked Metropolitan Kirill to convey his cordial greetings to His Holiness Patriarch Alexy along with wishes of good health and God’s help in his primatial ministry to the Russian Orthodox Church.