Will the Russian Orthodox Church return to full communion with Rome?

In May, Pope Francis said Patriarch Kirill cannot become Putin’s altar boy.

Now, the Chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations said the relationships between the Roman Church and Russian Orthodox Church are “practically frozen.”

Metropolitan Antonij of Volokolamsk said Pope Francis’ comments have “not contributed to the preparation of a new meeting” either.

The only times the two ever met were in Cuba in 2016, and also March of this year over Zoom.

While Pope Francis didn’t meet with Kirill during his trip to Kazakhstan in September, he did get to ask Antonij how Kirill is doing and say he wants to meet with him again.

“We spoke yesterday and he asked me to pass along his greeting, that at another time we may have another meeting.

Sometimes dialogue must be done like this, but it has to be done.

It smells bad, but it has to be done. Always one step ahead, an outstretched hand, always.

Because otherwise we close the only reasonable door to peace.” 

Pray for ecumenism!

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