Russia

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday praised the late Pope Francis as a defender of humanism and justice and lauded his efforts to foster dialogue between the Catholic and Orthodox churches.Pope Francis enjoyed great international respect as a devoted servant of Christian teachings, a wise religious and state leader, as well as a steadfast defender of the highest ideals of humanism and justice, read Putins statement, which the Kremlin published shortly after the Vatican announcedthe Popes passing.Throughout his papacy, he actively promoted dialogue between the Russian Orthodox and Roman Catholic Churches, as well as constructive engagement between Russia and the Holy See, the statement added.I had the honor of meeting this remarkable man on multiple occasions, and I will always cherish the warmest memories of him, Putin wrote in the statement.The Kremlin leader met with Pope Francis in person three times in 2013, 2015 and 2019 and last spoke with him by phone in December 2021, just weeks before Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, according to Russian state media.Patriarch Kirill, the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, said Pope Francis oversaw an "important stage" in relations between the Catholic and Russian Orthodox churches."An important stage in the relations between the Russian Orthodox and Roman Catholic Churches is associated with his name," said Kirill, who met the pope in 2016 for the first-ever meeting between heads of the two churches.Pope Francis had repeatedly called for peace in Ukraine, although he stirred controversy last year after urging Kyiv to raise the white flag and negotiate.Ukrainian officials reacted to those remarks with fury, even while the Vatican insisted the words white flag were intended to mean a cessation of hostilities, not a surrender.Russias Catholic Church announced Monday afternoon that its churches across the country would hold prayer services for the late Pope.Starting today, in all our churches inRussia, there will, of course, be prayers for PopeFrancis.
We will remember and pray here, locally,Auxiliary Bishop of Mother of God at MoscowNikolai Dubinin told state media.In 2016, Francis met Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill in Cuba, marking the first-ever meeting between the heads of the two churches.
The historic encounter concluded with a joint 10-page declaration, hailed at the time as a milestone in relations between the Catholic and Russian Orthodox branches of Christianity.AFP contributed reporting.





Unlimited Portal Access + Monthly Magazine - 12 issues


Contribute US to Start Broadcasting - It's Voluntary!


ADVERTISE


Merchandise (Peace Series)

 


[Russia] - Russian Attacks on Kharkiv Wound 47-- Police


[Russia] - Guy Suspected of Spying for Russia Held in Greece


[Russia] - Russia Vows to Help Taliban Fight Islamic State in Afghanistan


In Russia’s Bashkortostan, Fresh Tensions Grow Over Planned Copper Mining Site


[Russia] - Russian Military Says Creating ‘& lsquo; Security Belt & rsquo; Around Border in Ukraine's Sumy Region


[Russia] - Ukraine Says Drones Targeted Russia's Space Surveillance System


3 Firefighters Killed as Wildfires Rage in Russia’s Far East 


[Russia] - FSB Says Thwarted May 9 Attack on Law Enforcement by Would-Be Female Bomber


Late-Spring Snow Hits Moscow, Toppling Trees and Causing Power Outages


Zelensky Says Minerals Deal With U.S. 'Truly Equal'


Russian Strikes on Ukraine Wound 31


Trump Officials Alarmed by Witkoff’s Solo Talks With Putin – NYP


Russian Police Raid Gyms and Martial Arts Clubs Amid Spring Conscription Drive


Medvedev Warns of ‘Vanishing’ Ukraine After U.S. Signs Minerals Deal With Kyiv


[Russia] - Belarus Releases U.S. National Jailed Amid Opposition Crackdown


Russia’s Top Communist Demands Volgograd Be Renamed Stalingrad


Gazprom Returns to Profit in 2024 After Record Loss


[Russia] - Ukrainian Drone Strikes Kill 7 at Kherson Region Market, Kremlin-Installed Official Says


‘We Need to Recognize Russia’s Colonial Violence’: Buryat Illustrator Seseg Jigjitova


Russia Triples 2025 Budget Deficit Forecast to 1.7% of GDP


Moscow May Have Helped North Korea Develop Its New Warship, Seoul Claims


Russian Air Assault on Ukraine’s Odesa Leaves At Least 2 Dead


Ukraine and U.S. Sign Long-Awaited Minerals Deal


[Russia] - Russia Slams France's Accusations It Hacked Macron's Campaign


Kursk Governor Says 288 Civilians Were Killed During Ukraine's Incursion


[Russia] - McDonald's and Coca-Cola Rule Out Return to Russia


Ukraine, U.S. Sign Minerals Deal, Tying Trump to Kyiv


Russia Slams France's Accusations of Hacking Macron's Campaign


Russia Says 288 Civilians Died in Ukraine's Kursk Incursion


[Russia] - McDonald's, Coca-Cola Rule Out Return to Russia


[Russia] - Investigation Reveals Systematic Torture of Ukrainians in Russian Prisons


[Russia] - 'We Have Our Own Gestapo': A Russian Military Deserter Recalls His Time Inside a Secret Jail for Defectors


North Korea and Russia Begin Construction of First Road Bridge


Kremlin to Ukraine: Negotiate With Us, Not Washington


[Russia] - Nearly 1 in 4 Russian Billionaires Fled Country After Invasion of Ukraine-- Proekt


Interior Ministry Issues Arrest Warrant for TV Rain Chief Editor Tikhon Dzyadko


Russian Police Accuse Dubai-Based Instagram Influencer of Tax Evasion


Russia to Ramp Up Influence Efforts in Armenia Ahead of Parliamentary Elections – Vedomosti


India’s Modi to Skip Moscow Victory Day Parade Amid Tensions With Pakistan


Putin Renames Volgograd Airport ‘Stalingrad’ to Honor WWII Battle


Russian Strikes Kill At Least 1, Wound Dozens in Dnipro and Kharkiv Regions


Retail Giant Magnit to Buy Premium Supermarket Chain Azbuka Vkusa for $490M


Trump Flip-Flops on Putin’s Intentions for Peace in Ukraine


[Russia] - Rubio Warns U.S. Will End Mediation Unless It Sees 'Concrete Proposals' From Russia and Ukraine


Comments (0)

    Attach images by dragging & dropping or by selecting them.
    The maximum file size for uploads is MB. Only files are allowed.
     
    The maximum number of 3 allowed files to upload has been reached. If you want to upload more files you have to delete one of the existing uploaded files first.
    The maximum number of 3 allowed files to upload has been reached. If you want to upload more files you have to delete one of the existing uploaded files first.
    Posting as