Pope Francis and Patriarch Kirill, the leader of the Russian Orthodox Church, could meet again soon.
This was reported by the Russian agency RIA Novosti in a conversation with the country's new ambassador to the Holy See, Ivan Soltanovsky, who recently presented his credentials to the Pope.
In statements to this media, the diplomat said that Pope Francis had expressed "his hope that the meeting he had with Kirill in Havana would not be the last and that he would be able to see him again."
For their part, the Moscow Patriarchate, also said through this media that "they are open to the possibility of a new meeting, but that for the moment they are waiting on the Vatican's initiative."
Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the two church leaders have only met through a videocall. In their conversation, the main topics were the conflict and the role of Christians in achieving peace.
During the Pope's trip to Kazakhstan in September last year, there was hope that the two would be able to meet again in person. But in the end, Patriarch Kirill decided not to make the journey. Instead, the Patriarch's foreign minister attended.
-How is Patriarch Kirill?
-Good, good.
-Tell him I say hello.
-We spoke yesterday and he asked me to pass along his greeting.
-As do I to him.
Pope Francis met with a Russian delegation and expressed his desire for a second meeting with the Russian Orthodox leader.
That at another time we may have another meeting.
Patriarch Kirill did meet with the papal envoy for the peace mission in Ukraine when Cardinal Matteo Zuppi traveled Moscow at the end of June. And recently, the Kremlin's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov announced that another trip to Russia could possibly be made.
CA
TR: KG
