(mospat.ru) - On September 29, 2011, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, DECR chairman, met with Pope Benedict XVI at the pontifical summer residence in Castel Gandolfo.
They discussed a wide range of issues concerning the bilateral relations between the Roman Catholic Church and the Moscow Patriarchate.
After their tete-a-tete talk, Metropolitan Hilarion presented to Pope Benedict his retinue including Archpriest Dimitry Sizonenko, DECR secretary for inter-Christian relations, Fr. Antony (Sevryuk), rector of the Parish of St. Catherine in Rome, Archpriest Igor Vyzhanov, a cleric of St. Catherine’s, Fr. Ioann (Kopeikin), assistant to the DECR chairman, Mr. V. Yakunin and Mr. S. Plastilin, Orthodox sponsors, and Mr. L. Sevastyanov, executive secretary of the St. Gregory the Theologian Charity.
Metropolitan Hilarion presented the Pope of Rome with an icon of St. Benedict of Nursia and an album on frescoes by St. Andrew Rublev.
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This is amazing! I've never seen more than a photo of a meeting. I enjoyed this very much.
ReplyDeleteIt does bother me that the priests kissed the pope's hand. I hope I don't do the same if I ever meet the bishop of Rome!
Well, in the old days it was expected that one would kiss his foot. So it could be worse.
ReplyDeleteIt appears that the Russian Orthodox Church is doing the most it can do, in an effort to befriend Pope Benedict XVI and to encourage him to meet with Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia.
ReplyDeleteSuch a papal-patriarchal meeting would be beneficial for both the Catholic and Orthodox Churches, in that it could well serve as a harbinger for Christian unity.
Metropolitan Hilarion was interviewed by Vatican Radio following his Sept. 29 meeting with the Pope. Here is a link to the Catholic News Agency account of some of the interview:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/orthodox-archbishop-were-internally-divided-on-question-of-primacy/
And here is the actual interview:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.radiovaticana.org/en1/Articolo.asp?c=524758