News

Vatican has no plans to convert Russia to Catholicism - cardinal Poupard

Moscow, June 18, Interfax - The Vatican does not want to convert Russia to Catholicism, and relations with the Moscow Patriarchate are improving, President of the Pontifical Council for Culture Cardinal Paul Poupard told students of the Orthodox St. Tikhon Humanitarian University on Monday.

Poupard said the Vatican never wanted to make Russia a Catholic country. The Holy See is praying for a Christian Russia and further preaching by Orthodox and Catholic disciples, he said.

The cardinal admitted differences between Orthodox and Catholic clerics as members of one and the same family.

The two churches want to speak about their belief, he said, adding that at the meeting he was wearing a cross he had received from Patriarch of Moscow and all Russia Alexy II.

The atmosphere of inter-church relations has changed, Apostolic Nuncio to Russia Archbishop Antonio Mennini said. He said they could affirm Christian values together and be friends.

The Russian Orthodox Church feels that it is respected by the Holy See, the archbishop said. The Vatican regards the Russian Orthodox Church as the national church and welcomes the opportunity to meet and learn about the Russian religious tradition, he said.

Print this page

Home

News

.	Customize latest news

• New church of Ukraine in contact with SBU, but doesn't coordinate actions – Filaret 21 January 2019, 12:39
• Group of Ukrainian parliamentarians challenges constitutionality of law obliging Ukrainian Orthodox Church to change its name 21 January 2019, 12:06
• Patriarch of Antioch says opposes actions aimed at dividing Orthodox 18 January 2019, 14:34
• Most valuables not missing from Kiev-Pechersk Lavra - deputy minister 18 January 2019, 14:32
• Putin invited to Belgrade to attend consecration of Cathedral of Saint Sava 18 January 2019, 14:15
• Church takeovers leitmotif of Ukrainian presidential campaign - Russian Orthodox Church 18 January 2019, 14:07
• Enthronement of Yepifaniy to be held on Feb 3 18 January 2019, 12:16
• Russia to return page of ancient Gospel to Serbia, Belgrade to return Roerich's pictures to Russia – Putin 18 January 2019, 12:13
• Ukraine's Opposition Bloc to appeal bill on subordination of religious communities to Constitutional Court 17 January 2019, 17:31
• Ukrainian law on joining new church makes seizing churches easier - Ukrainian Orthodox Church 17 January 2019, 17:24
• Rada passes bill on transition of communities from one church to another 17 January 2019, 17:12
• Attempts are being made to divide Antioch Church - al-Assad 17 January 2019, 15:02
• Georgian Church to voice stance on Ukrainian autocephaly, govt not interfering - FM 16 January 2019, 18:58
• Metropolitan of Zaporozhye accuses Ukraine of attempt to 'drag God by his beard' 16 January 2019, 16:11
• Ukraine wants to re-register Kiev-Pechersk Lavra or take it away from UOC of Moscow Patriarchate - Metropolitan Pavel 16 January 2019, 16:03
• Putin describes establishment of new church in Ukraine as 'dangerous politicking' (updated) 16 January 2019, 13:43
• Inter-confessional accord in Ukraine sacrificed to Poroshenko's campaign - Putin 16 January 2019, 11:15
• Poroshenko guarantees protection to those who remain faithful to Moscow Patriarchate 15 January 2019, 16:50
• Homeless man detained on suspicion of setting fire to building at Kiev-Pechersk Lavra 15 January 2019, 14:25
• Fire at Kiev-Pechersk Lavra's building contained to area of 400 sq m 14 January 2019, 21:02
• Kiev-Pechersk Lavra's 2-storey building on fire 14 January 2019, 19:06
• Rights activists report detention of 40 LGBT in Chechnya, Grozny official says it's 'absolute lie' 14 January 2019, 15:13
• Poroshenko decorates 2 metropolitans who joined new church from UOC with Order of Prince Yaroslav Mudry 14 January 2019, 13:41
• Media review: "Metropolitan Hilarion: Russian Orthodox Church was born in Kiev, not in Moscow or St. Petersburg" 14 January 2019, 12:14
• The Ukrainian Orthodox Church compared Ukraine's new church to "Titanic" 11 January 2019, 18:52
• Georgian president doesn't hurry to congratulate Ukraine on granting autocephaly 11 January 2019, 18:47
• Culture Minister's statement on icons missing from Kiev-Pechersk Lavra is provocation - Ukrainian Orthodox Church 11 January 2019, 17:35
• Georgian Church needs time to decide on recognizing Ukraine's autocephaly 10 January 2019, 14:39
• Tomos returns from Istanbul to Ukraine 10 January 2019, 14:34
• If Georgia recognizes Ukraine's autocephaly, Russia to recognize Abkhaz Church's independence - Burjanadze 09 January 2019, 18:55

Other news