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19 April 2006, 12:53Relations between Russian Orthodox Church, Vatican improving - official
Moscow, April 19, Interfax - The first year of Pope Benedict XVI's pontificate has seen improvements in relations between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Vatican, Archpriest Vsevolod Chaplin, deputy head of the Moscow Patriarchate's Department for External Church Relations, said in an interview with the Nezavisimaya Gazeta newspaper published on Wednesday.
"The climate of Orthodox-Catholic relations has improved, partly thanks to the personality, statements and deeds of the new pontiff," he said.
Father Vsevolod said he hoped relations between the two churches would continue to improve and problems would be resolved, including missionary competition from certain Catholic priests, monks and nuns and the expansion of the Uniate Church.
Both churches are facing the challenge of "aggressive, totalitarian secularism and the cult of life only for the sake of earthly pleasures, comfort and pride permeated with sin," he said. |
