20 years to prepare what we know about the meeting Patriarch Kirill and Pope Francis – TASS

Why is this meeting so important?

• Meeting of Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia and the Pope will be held for the first time in history

The Russian Orthodox Church is the largest of the Local Orthodox churches in the world and has about 50 million people. The Roman Catholic Church – the largest of all existing Christian churches, has about 1.2 billion people.

“Ready for a long time a meeting of the Russian Orthodox and Roman Catholic Churches will be the first in history and will mark an important stage in relations between the two Churches “- told reporters the head of the Department for external church relations Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk. He also read out a compiled jointly by the two Churches release: “The Moscow Patriarchate and the Holy See wish that this event was also a sign of hope of all people of good will”

The meeting acquires special significance against the backdrop of international tension, he said in an interview. with Tass, Cardinal Walter Kasper, chairman of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian unity.

“it is extremely important that this meeting takes place at a time when the world so many problems. from the interaction between the two churches will largely depend on further settlement of international issues , “- said the hierarch. According to him, still too early to talk about possible visit of Pope Francis in Russia. “This is an important step, but an important way to go for rapprochement between the two Churches” – said Cardinal Kasper

How long prepared meeting.?

• Meeting of Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia with the Pope was prepared 20 years

“The meeting was preparing for a long time. On throughout 1996 and 1997, intensive negotiations on the organization of the meeting His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II “, – said chairman of the Department for external church relations Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk. However, these negotiations have been discontinued due to lack of opportunities to agree on certain issues. “It was about the Greek Catholics and the Catholic missionaries of proselytism on the canonical territory of the Moscow Patriarchate,” – he reminded

Why is the head of the Russian Orthodox and Roman Catholic churches have not met before.?

• The meeting could not take place until now because of a number of fundamental differences, the main of which – proselytism (the desire to convert others to their faith) and union

All these years, the main problem in relations between the two Churches and the main obstacle remained the union for meeting the primates. The defeat of the Uniates three dioceses of the Moscow Patriarchate in Western Ukraine at the turn of 1980-90-ies, the transfer of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC) from Lviv to Kiev, the insistence of the Church arrogate to itself the status of the Patriarchate, the spread of the mission of the UGCC in traditionally Orthodox lands of Eastern and South of Ukraine, support Uniates dissenters – all these factors have only exacerbated the problem, explained Metropolitan Hilarion

“the situation has deteriorated as a result of recent events in Ukraine, in which representatives of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church took a direct part, speaking with the anti-Russian. Russophobic and slogans – said the Metropolitan. – So, unfortunately, the problem of the union so far has not been removed, and the union remained unhealed bleeding wound, preventing full normalization of relations between the two Churches “.

Why Now suddenly, this meeting has been made possible?

• Meeting Primates decided to hold this year against the backdrop of not stopping in recent years, the persecution of the world’s Christians

The situation today in the Middle East, North and Central Africa and in some other regions where extremists carried out a true genocide of the Christian population, requires urgent measures and greater interaction between the Christian Churches, according to the ROC. “In the current tragic situation it is necessary to put aside internal disagreements and unite efforts to rescue Christianity in those regions where it is subjected to the most severe persecution,” – said Metropolitan Hilarion

will end on February 3, Moscow Consecrated Council of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox. church urged to 2016 was a year of special efforts in this direction. Therefore, in spite of the remaining impediments church, decided to hold an urgent meeting of Patriarch Kirill and Pope Francis. Subject persecution of Christians will be at the meeting center.

Which topics are going to discuss the Patriarch and the Pope, Francis?

• In addition to the main theme to be affected by current issues of bilateral relations and international policy

it is expected that the Patriarch and the pope will also discuss the general Christian and human values, the role of the church in the preservation of the traditional institutions of family and marriage, the fight against vices such as drug addiction and alcoholism.

When and where the meeting will take place?

• The meeting will be held on February 12 at the Havana airport (Cuba)

“The coincidence of the Patriarch’s visit date to the countries of Latin America and visit the Pope of Mexico provided an opportunity for it in the new World to hold a meeting, which we hope will open a new page in relations between the two Churches “- said Metropolitan Hilarion. He said that “the meeting will include a personal interview in the José Martí International Airport in Havana and end with the signing of the joint declaration”.

Why the meeting is held in Cuba?

• Under the decision of the parties meeting can pass only on neutral territory: not in Russia and the Vatican

There were numerous proposals over recent years on the venue of such a meeting. However, Patriarch Kirill at the outset did not want the meeting took place in Europe, as it is with Europe is associated severe history of divisions and conflicts between Christians.

Metropolitan Hilarion said that neither Russia nor the Vatican has not been considered as a meeting place the Pope and the Patriarch, and for this selected “neutral territory”. “Cuba is satisfied with all that part of the region, which is developing dynamically,” – Metropolitan said. He noted that “the intersection of routes allowed to organize this meeting”.