- Title: Russians split over patriarch's decision not to meet pope in Kazakhstan
- Date: 12th September 2022
- Summary: ST. PETERSBURG, RUSSIA (SEPTEMBER 12, 2022) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF CHURCH MEMBERS WALKING WITH CROSSES AND FLAGS IN PROCESSION ON ST. PETERSBURG'S NEVSKY PROSPEKT VARIOUS OF SPECTATORS WITH RUSSIAN FLAG ON THEIR SHOULDER HOLDING PORTRAIT OF THE LAST EMPEROR OF RUSSIA, NICHOLAS II CHURCH MEMBERS WALKING WITH CROSSES AND FLAGS IN A CROSS PROCESSION CHURCH MEMBERS CARRYING ICON VARIOUS OF CHURCH MEMBERS WALKING WITH CROSSES AND FLAGS IN PROCESSION VARIOUS OF PEOPLE, MILITARY FIGURES WALKING WITH FLAGS IN PROCESSION RUSSIAN PATRIARCH KIRILL WALKING (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) ST. PETERSBURG RESIDENT, ALEXANDER SERGEYEV, SAYING: "(Patriarch) Kirill has a deputy who can participate in a meeting. The most important is the substance of the meeting and what they want to understand, not Kirill and his presence. I understand... But what if he can't (attend) because of health issues or some other reasons? And then, the Pope... Tolerance, confessionalism, and educating people that way. I am not a supporter of all this. I would not want that. But (they) need to meet." PEOPLE CROSSING THEMSELVES (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) CROSS PROCESSION PARTICIPANT, GEORGY KRUPNOV, SAYING: "As the devil says: "Divide and conquer". We are united, in general. Regarding the most important things, we are united. But, of course, in those little moments, he (the devil) tries to divide us. So communication with Catholics, for example... There is a big block, and he (the devil) is chipping away at it, little by little. So, whether it is needed or not, how to present it, to cover it. This is an uneasy moment in the way our churches communicate. Unfortunately, our churches have separated. We need to admit that." BOY TAKING PICTURE (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) ST. PETERSBURG RESIDENT, VLADIMIR KIREYEV, SAYING: "I think it (meeting) is needed. We've had these meetings before, not on our territory, but abroad. Moreover, His Holiness is extremely experienced. He is a very delicate diplomat. He is great. So if they need (to meet), I think he could... Anyway, still, the enemy will put up obstacles." CROSSES IN A LINE (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) ST. PETERSBURG RESIDENT, IRINA (NO LAST NAME GIVEN), SAYING: "(The main thing) is for him to recognise what's really going on in the country and what's happening now in the world, so we can pray correctly - according to the situation." VARIOUS OF KAZAN CATHEDRAL
- Embargoed: 26th September 2022 15:39
- Keywords: Patriarch Kirill Pope Francis Russia church
- Location: ST PETERSBURG, RUSSIA
- City: ST PETERSBURG, RUSSIA
- Country: Russia
- Topics: Europe,Religion/Belief,Society/Social Issues
- Reuters ID: LVA001474212092022RP1
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:Pope Francis leaves on Tuesday (September 12) for a peace meeting of world religious leaders in Kazakhstan marked by the conspicuous absence of Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill, who supports the war in Ukraine.
Kirill had been expected to attend the Seventh Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions, and Francis had several times said he was willing to talk to him.
Their meeting in Cuba in 2016 was the first between a pope and a Russian Orthodox patriarch since the Great Schism of 1054 divided Christianity into Eastern and Western branches.
But the Russian Church abruptly announced last month that Kirill would skip the meeting in the Kazak capital, Nur-Sultan. It gave no reason.
Some Russian Orthodox believers who were taking part in an annual cross-bearing procession in St. Petersburg said they were not sure the patriarch should meet the pope right now.
"The most important thing is the substance of the meeting and what they want to understand, not Kirill and his presence, " said Alexander Sergeyev, a city resident.
Georgy Krupnov, a procession participant said there was a deep divide between the Orthodox and Catholic churches.
St Petersburg resident Vladimir Kireev said a meeting between the two spiritual leaders could be useful.
The cross-bearing procession in St. Peterburg on Monday was held on the anniversary of the transfer of the medieval Grand Prince Alexander Nevsky’s holy relics to the monastery bearing his name. Nevsky is worshiped in Russia as a saint.
Some top Vatican officials were relieved that the encounter would not take place because of the bad optics of the pope meeting with a key backer of Russian President Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine, according to a senior Vatican source.
Ukraine's ambassador to the Vatican, Andreii Kurash, also told the Vatican that his government would not look positively on a pope-patriarch meeting, preferring that the pope first visit Kyiv, according to the source.
Kirill has given enthusiastic backing to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which the patriarch views as a bulwark against a West he calls decadent.
His stance has caused a rift with the Vatican and unleashed an internal rebellion that has led to the severing of ties by some local Orthodox Churches with the Russian Orthodox Church.
The Vatican has been trying to mend strained relations with Ukraine after the pope upset Kyiv last month by referring to Russian ultra-nationalist Darya Dugina, who was killed by a car bomb near Moscow, as an innocent victim of war.
Still, the war in Ukraine is likely to cast a long shadow on the meeting, which is due to be attended by more than 100 delegations from about 50 countries. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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