He supervised the construction of a Russian church in Havana and he sanctified that church. About two-thirds of the world’s Orthodox Christians belong to the church.
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As The New York Times reports, the Catholic Church has, in recent years, been making an effort to bridge the divide with Orthodox leaders, although it has been especially hard for Patriarch Kirill and Pope Francis to agree on a meeting.
After years of disagreement, Pope Francis and Russian Orthodox leader Patriarch Kirill are planning to meet next week in Cuba to discuss the persecution of Christians in the Middle East.
After a “personal conversation”, the two will then sign a joint declaration, the statement said.
In a statement on the website of Metropolitan Hilarion’s office, he referred to the Ukrainian Catholics with the pejorative term “uniates”, and said, “Regrettably, the problem of the uniates is still there, with uniatism remaining a never-healing, bloody wound that prevents the full normalization of relations between the two churches”.
“I think it’s a happy coincidence that the pope was flying over Cuba on his way to Mexico at the same time Patriarch Kirill was visiting Cuba”, said Miami Archbishop Thomas Wenski.
“Because it is namely Europe with which this tragic history of divisions and conflicts among Christians is linked”, Hilarion said.
The Roman Catholic Church has more than a billion members worldwide, while the Russian Orthodox Church numbers about 165 million and is the biggest Orthdox church. The Russia Today report added that Patriarch Kirill was also set to visit Paraguay, Chile and Brazil, along with Cuba, during his Latin American tour from February 11 to February 12.
Both sides apparently consider Cuba neutral ground. The Russian Orthodox Church was formally recognised as independent in 1589.
“For me, China has always been a reference point of greatness”, Francis said in the interview. Among the issues Eastern Orthodox Church has with the Roman Catholic Church, has been that church’s attempts to expand in previously affiliated areas. Both Patriarch Kirill and Cuban President Raul Castro will see him off.
The meeting place of Havana, Cuba is also significant.
“It’s a place that positioned itself well for the circumstances”, Lombardi told reporters.
Lombardi called the meeting “beautiful news”. Although there have been reports of warming relations during Francis’ papacy, the Vatican’s announcement Friday was widely unexpected.
In November 2014, Francis had said he had told Kirill: “I’ll go wherever you want”.
Under Francis, the Vatican has encouraged continuing ecumenical ties with the Orthodox as well as other Christian denominations.
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Before Francis, his predecessors John Paul II and Benedict XVI had wished to turn a meeting with the Patriarch of Moscow.
