The Pope Looks East Toward Russia and China

angelburst29

The Living Force
Guess, I never thought of it but I was unaware that the Catholic Pope was banned from visiting Beijing, China and Russia's Moscow? There's some rumblings that the Pope is reaching out to both Countries.

The Pope Looks East Toward Russia and China
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/sebastien-maillard/pope-russia-china_b_9143376.html

Following Francis" is a monthly blog on the latest happenings of Pope Francis. It is prepared exclusively for The WorldPost by Sébastien Maillard, Vatican correspondent for La Croix, Rome.

ROME -- Pope Francis is about to leave for a five-day trip throughout Mexico. This country is among the most visited by recent popes, especially John Paul II. Francis will reach areas where his predecessors never wandered, ending his journey at Ciudad Juarez along the border with the U.S. Generally for his visits abroad, he seeks both meaningful and unexpected destinations (Albania, the Central African Republic, Sweden next October), and when possible, chooses places that are free of other pontiffs' footprints.

He has traveled now on all five continents. Yet China and Russia still stand on the far horizon. Out of the 180 or so countries that have diplomatic ties with the Holy See (including countries like Iran and Cuba), amid all the heads of government and ministers and politicians and dignitaries who journey from far and wide to the Vatican, Beijing and Moscow remain two forbidden places for the head of the Catholic Church.

For now.

A Tropical Encounter?

Could Jorge Bergoglio unlock the door? From sources close to the Vatican and prelates of the curia who do not wish to be named, I have heard some recent positive attempts to craft an encounter between the pope and the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill of Moscow, possibly this year. There is -- or there was? -- the suggestion that both leaders could meet this month in Cuba, when Francis flies back from Mexico and where Kirill will be at the same time on a visit. The project got leaked to a blog, Chiesa Espresso, but was immediately denied by Moscow's patriarch. Anyhow, should the meeting not happen in Cuba, it could take place elsewhere -- Armenia, for instance, a country close to Russia that the pope is supposed to visit later this year.

Wherever it happened, such an encounter would be historic. Under John Paul II, Russia never considered it seriously. The Polish pope was regarded as making his Church too close with former Soviet territories where the Russian Orthodox Church was experiencing a rebirth. Relations warmed up with Benedict XVI. And more recently, the war in Ukraine, involving and dividing the various Christian churches, has since put aside thoughts of an encounter.

But Moscow seems to appreciate the way the Holy See has expressed a balanced view on what the pope defined, just a year ago, a "war among Christians," rather than Russian aggression against its neighbor. Francis has always kept dialogue open with President Vladimir Putin, who paid two visits to the Vatican (and arrived quite late). The Holy See understands it needs Russia's attention on the fate of the persecuted Christians in the Middle East. It also knows that however deep and historic its links are today with the Patriarch of Constantinople, the most powerful church in the Orthodox cosmos is, by far, Russia's.

From the Kremlin's point of view, showing closeness with the Vatican is a way not to remain too isolated on the world stage. As for the Russian Patriarch, the Catholic Church is a needed partner in order to safeguard traditional Christian values in Europe.

New Year's Greetings to President Xi

Relations with China have not reached that point at all. But Pope Francis is doing whatever it takes to patiently undo the knot.
In what seems a real communication strategy, he granted an interview to the Hong Kong-based news website, Asia Times. It was published on Feb. 2, before the Chinese New Year. Showing "great respect" for the Chinese people and admiration for the country's "great richness of culture and wisdom," Francis also expressed his "best wishes and greetings" to Chinese President Xi Jinping.

This comes after other signals sent by the Vatican towards Beijing. In summer 2014, Francis was the first pope ever to be granted access to fly over China on his way towards Korea. As he declared to the press on the return flight: "Do I want to go to China? Of course: tomorrow! Oh, yes."

The latest interview was recorded in the Vatican on Jan. 28, a week during which a Chinese delegation was said to be visiting the Holy See over two days to negotiate a compromise on a procedure for the pope to name bishops in China. Beijing has never wanted Chinese bishops to pay allegiance to a foreign state. But the Church has never tolerated its local shepherds to be dependent on any political power. In China, Catholics either belong to an official, "patriotic" Church or risk themselves to an underground one.

According to a recent article in the Corriere della Sera, under a deal just reached between the two sides, Beijing would accept the pope to name bishops but only those drawn from a list of names drawn up by the government-supported Church. They would thus be implicitly recognized by the Vatican. Some nominations could even happen soon.

Yet the deal does not mean China and the Holy See are set to have diplomatic ties. That is the next stage. "Catholic" means "universal" and, for the Church, having a black hole as large as China is unsustainable for its very mission. But, on the other hand, to get China's regime to fully open its doors to the Catholic Church at this moment remains a goal unfulfilled.
 
angelburst29 said:
Guess, I never thought of it but I was unaware that the Catholic Pope was banned from visiting Beijing, China and Russia's Moscow?

Yes, In China, Catholics are only permitted to attend churches controlled by the Communist party, and the party does not recognise the Pope. They do not want him to have any influence on local people in China, for fear of "losing control", which is a constant theme with religions in China.
 
Eulenspiegel said:
angelburst29 said:
Guess, I never thought of it but I was unaware that the Catholic Pope was banned from visiting Beijing, China and Russia's Moscow?

Yes, In China, Catholics are only permitted to attend churches controlled by the Communist party, and the party does not recognize the Pope. They do not want him to have any influence on local people in China, for fear of "losing control", which is a constant theme with religions in China.

The article reminded me, of some of the articles I have read recently and in the last few months, of "China growing in Spirituality". I'm not referring, in a Catholic doctrine sense, but spiritually oriented to moral values and preserving the essence of life and well being.

Much in the way and closely related to some of the mandates and expressions "for the common good and rightful sovereignty, mutual respect and cooperation" we are now witnessing with Russia's performance on the World stage.

Curiously, there are now rumors - of this present Pope wanting to "retire" sometime before the end of 2016?

Pope Francis hints at 'brief' papacy (Video)
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-31875507

14 March 2015 - Pope Francis has suggested he may resign his papacy like his predecessor, rather than remain at the Vatican for life.

The pontiff made the comments during a interview with Mexican television, marking the second anniversary of his election.

"I have the feeling that my pontificate will be brief. Four or five years; I do not know, even two or three," he said.

He praised Pope Benedict's decision to step aside in 2013 as "courageous".

"Benedict should not be considered an exception, but an institution. Maybe he will be the only one for a long time, maybe he will not be the only one.

"But an institutional door has been opened," he told the Televisa channel.

Pope Francis has hinted in the past that he could retire, but said he was opposed to the idea of an age limit for leaders of the Catholic Church.

"To say that one is in charge up to 80 years, creates a sensation that the pontificate is at its end and that would not be a good thing," he added.

A papal conclave elected Pope Francis as Benedict XVI's successor on 13 March 2013. He became the first Latin American to lead the Church.

During the interview he admitted he was "surprised" by the decision and had only carried a small suitcase to Rome, with the expectation he would return to Buenos Aires.

Reporters have asked Pope Francis on at least three occasions whether or not he intends to follow his predecessor Benedict XVI in retiring. On each occasion, the Pope has answered with roughly the same words.

"I think that a Pope emeritus should not be an exception," he told reporters in August 2014, "You can ask me: 'What if one day you don't feel prepared to go on?' I would do the same, I would do the same!"

But the Pope also makes it clear that he will stay in the job as long as he has the physical strength to do so. His interview with Mexican TV makes it clear that he still enjoys his papacy.

"Do you like being Pope?" the reporter asked. "It doesn't displease me!" the Pope replied.

His simple style has won him praise from Catholics, as have his promises to reform the Curia - the Church's internal government.

His simple style has won him praise from Catholics, as have his promises to reform the Curia - the Church's internal government.

However, he said two years of his papacy had now passed and he felt it would not continue for very much longer.

"I do not know. But I feel that the Lord has placed me here for a short time, and nothing more," he added.

"But it is a feeling. I always leave the possibility open."



Pope Francis to travel to Sweden for joint Reformation commemoration
http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2016/01/25/pope_to_travel_to_sweden_for_joint_reformation_commemoration/1203462

25/01/2016 - (Vatican Radio) Pope Francis will travel to Sweden in October for a joint ecumenical commemoration of the start of the Reformation, together with leaders of the Lutheran World Federation and representatives of other Christian Churches.

The event will take place on October 31st in the southern Swedish city of Lund where the Lutheran World Federation was founded in 1947. While kicking off a year of events to mark the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation, it will also highlight the important ecumenical developments that have taken place during the past 50 years of dialogue between Catholics and Lutherans.

The one-day event will include a common worship service in Lund cathedral based on a Catholic-Lutheran “Common Prayer” liturgical guide, published earlier this month by the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity (PCPCU) and the Lutheran World Federation (LWF).

The commemoration in Lund follows on directly from the publication in 2013 of a joint document entitled ‘From Conflict to Communion’, which focuses on the themes of thanksgiving, repentance and commitment to common witness. While asking for forgiveness for the divisions of past centuries, it also seeks to showcase the gifts of the Reformation and celebrate the way Catholics and Lutherans around the world work together on issues of common concern.

The joint ecumenical event will take place in the city of Lund in anticipation of the 500th Reformation anniversary in 2017. It will highlight the solid ecumenical developments between Catholics and Lutherans and the joint gifts received through dialogue. The event will include a common worship based on the recently published Catholic-Lutheran “Common Prayer” liturgical guide.
 
It was Vaticans wet dream from early dark ages to unite western church with eastern churches to gain more power and failed every time. Just a modern PR campaign of resolving past sins and showing itself in new light.
 
angelburst29 said:
Eulenspiegel said:
angelburst29 said:
Guess, I never thought of it but I was unaware that the Catholic Pope was banned from visiting Beijing, China and Russia's Moscow?

Yes, In China, Catholics are only permitted to attend churches controlled by the Communist party, and the party does not recognize the Pope. They do not want him to have any influence on local people in China, for fear of "losing control", which is a constant theme with religions in China.

The article reminded me, of some of the articles I have read recently and in the last few months, of "China growing in Spirituality". I'm not referring, in a Catholic doctrine sense, but spiritually oriented to moral values and preserving the essence of life and well being.

That's not surprising considering there has been a spiritual vacuum there for close to 65 Years. China destroyed itself culturally and spiritually, and it's rebuilding itself now. Slowly.

There was a social phenomenon there called the 气功热, the "Qigong fever", that happened in the 80's and 90's; many sects sprang up and gurus were everywhere; it came to an end when the Falungong(the one that is the most well known in the West) made a big mistake and challenged government authority. Historically, this has never went well in China but I think this fever movement foreshadowed what might happen in the coming years.

Once the Party loses its grip, there will be plenty of disillusioned city dwellers that are fed up with empty lives dictated by nihilistic and materialistic values. Even now, there are financially well off Urban Chinese people, that give it all up in order to move to the West of China. They end up in relative poverty but are eager to practice some kind of spiritual path. This is one of the most interesting social movements in China today.

It pains me that my Chinese isn't good enough yet to be ably to proficiently translate the Wave series and related materials into Chinese. I think it is sorely needed. I dearly hope there is something similar to this group effort here in China. It is such a big country with 1,4 billion people...

I read through Chu's thread and saw Robin Turner's efforts; translation to a language not related to English is already troubling enough, but on top of that there is this sheer discrepancy between the lives of young Chinese people my age(even more ponerized than in the West) and the concepts and mindsets discussed here.

I remember the percentage of psychopaths being rather low in China(although 0,9% as the number given translates into about 12,5 Million psychopaths within the population of 1,4 billion); I really wonder if there is some kind of positive tribal unit forming there as well.
 
Patriarch, Pope to Discuss Persecution of Christians, Ukraine, Euthanasia
http://sputniknews.com/world/20160212/1034618386/patriarch-pope-discussion.html

The meeting of Russian Patriarch Kirill and Pope Francis in Havana, Cuba, will focus on a range of issues, including persecution of Christians in the Middle East, falling birth rates as well as euthanasia, patriarchal press service head Alexander Volkov told Sputnik.

"The key topic of the meeting is persecution of Christians in the Middle East," Volkov stated on Thursday. "The problems that worry many people will also be on the agenda, including demographic problems, the attitude towards same sex marriage, abortion and euthanasia."

"If everything goes well, other meetings may follow [the talks in Havana]," Volkov stated on Thursday.

He also said that the Russian Orthodox Church anticipates international leaders to react to the topics that will be discussed during the meeting.

"We will expect the reaction of the international community on this meeting," Volkov stated on Thursday.

He also noted that the Pope will not cross the Cuban border.

"The Pope will not officially cross the [Cuban] border," Volkov stated on Thursday. "The meeting will take place on a neutral territory at the [Havana] airport."




Declaration by Patriarch, Pope to Be Translated in European Languages
http://sputniknews.com/world/20160212/1034618476/patriarch-pope-declaration-translaton-languages.html

Patriarchal press service head Alexander Volkov said that the text of the joint declaration that will be signed by Russian Patriarch Kirill and Pope Francis upon the conclusion of their meeting in Havana, Cuba, will be translated in several European languages.

"Everything [in the declaration] has already been agreed on," Volkov stated on Thursday. "But some changes [to the text] can be made during the meeting."



Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem Hopes Churches Can Turn to Single Calendar
http://sputniknews.com/world/20160211/1034594551/latin-patriarch-single-calendar.html

JERUSALEM (Sputnik) – The patriarch and the pope will meet on Friday in Cuba’s Havana for the first time since their churches split in the 11th century.

"We are very pleased with this meeting, the need for which is long overdue… This is an important event for Christian unity… We hope that our holidays, especially Easter and Christmas, will be unified," Twal told RIA Novosti.

In June 2015, Pope Francis offered to fix the same date for Easter to Patriarch of Constantinople Bartholomew I and Patriarch of Moscow Kirill.

Catholics use the Gregorian calendar to calculate the date of Easter and Christmas, while the Orthodox Church uses the Julian calendar, so usually they celebrate the holidays on different days.
 
In an attempt to defend Christians in the Middle East and other parts of the world where they’re being persecuted, Pope Francis wants to ask Russian President Vladimir Putin for help.

Pope Francis Sees Putin as ‘Only Man’ to Defend Christians Around the World
http://sputniknews.com/politics/20160209/1034451116/pope-francis-putin-christians.html

According to Pope Francis, Putin is “the only one with whom the Catholic Church can unite to defend Christians in the East.”

“It’s important to join efforts [with Russia] to save Christianity in all regions [of the world] where it’s oppressed,” Pope Francis said, as cited by Le Journal Du Dimanche.

With the help of Putin, Pope Francis hopes to reach out to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Iranian leader Hassan Rouhani and even the Chinese government elite and work out a plan to help Christians in these regions.

In regards to China, Francis said he hopes to establish political contact between Beijing and Vatican since the two parties have never had official diplomatic relations, the French newspaper said.


What Russian Orthodoxy Wants From Pope Francis
http://russia-insider.com/en/politics/what-russian-orthodoxy-wants-pope-francis/ri12810

Although the Patriarchate of Constantinople holds a place of honor among the fourteen canonical Orthodox Churches, it is the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC), the world’s largest, that has emerged as the leading spokesman for Orthodox Christians. Its influence was clearly on display during preparations for this summer’s first-ever Pan-Orthodox Council, when it convinced the heads of fellow churches to abruptly shift the venue from Turkey to Crete by suggesting that difficulties might arise in Turkey because of that country’s current tensions with Russia.

It was then able to ensure that the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) remains the only one recognized as canonical, and that the rival Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Kyiv Patriarchate) received no invitation. Finally, in a significant blow to Ukrainian ambitions to establish their own national church, it obtained a pledge from Patriarch of Constantinople that he would not encourage a self-governing Church in Ukraine, or undertake any actions that might legitimate the self-proclaimed Kyiv Patriarchate, “not at the Council; not ever.”

Finally, this month it agreed to another historic first, a meeting between Pope Francis and Patriarch Kirill of Moscow, which both sides are describing as an opportunity to promote collaboration on the key international issues of the day. Such collaboration is already commonplace in European venues, where Catholics and Orthodox frequently combine forces to defend Christian values. Now they hope to formalize their partnership, expanding it to the Middle East and elsewhere.

Each side brings notable strengths to this alliance. Catholicism brings its global reach, a deep Western intellectual pedigree and considerable financial resources. The Russian Orthodox Church bring its considerable political influence, not just in Russia but throughout the former Soviet Union and eastern Europe, as well as centuries of experience living in harmony with the Muslim communities in their midst.

No one should expect full unity any time soon, however. The theological disagreements between Catholic and Orthodox may be minor, but they are not trivial. Still, it is encouraging to see Catholic spokesmen like Cardinal Walter Kasper, who was formerly in charge of Vatican relations with Russia, stress that these are mostly matters of local tradition, not dogma. For now, therefore, the most important thing to take away from the upcoming meeting between the two religious leaders, as noted St. Petersburg theologian Fr. Georgy Kochetkov puts it, is that “both sides want more.”

Given the noted intimacy of church and state in Russia, many are probably asking what the Church’s resurgence portends for Russian foreign policy. That is already pretty well established. First, in keeping with the transnational character of the church, it will continue to lobby Russian state institutions to defend the interests of Orthodox Christians throughout the world, even if they are not Russian citizens. Second, as it has already done with the Roman Catholic Church, it will seek out new allies to promote Christian moral values and counter the secularization of European society. Finally, wherever Russian state and civic organizations promote Russian culture and language abroad, the church will seek to tack on its agenda of “re-Christianizing society.”

For now, therefore, the state and the church in Russia are pursuing complementary agendas, the former in the secular arena, the latter in the spiritual arena. This is in keeping with the classical ideal for church-state relations in Eastern Orthodox Christianity—symphonia—which is a harmony between church and state, rather than the Western ideal of separation. This intense interaction, however, also points to sources of potential conflict.

While the state promotes the national interest of the Russian Federation, the Russian Orthodox Church promotes a larger cultural identity, that it sees itself as having inherited from medieval Kievan Rus’. Both the ROC and the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church see the conflict in Ukraine as a civil war within a single pan-Slavic community (the Russky mir or “Russian world”). This civil war cannot be resolved by isolating Ukraine from Russia and thereby destroying the unity of their faith. The only permanent solution is for the Ukrainian government to embrace the pluricultural nature of Ukrainian society. From the Orthodox Church’s perspective, this is the only way to achieve reconciliation among the Ukrainian people, and harmony within the multinational Russky mir.

Second, the Russian Orthodox Church does not see itself as merely one social constituency among many; it sees itself as the very heart and soul of society. Its purview therefore exceeds that of any other social groups, even the government, for while the government may speak to the values of society in the present, the Church speaks to the values of society over its entire existence, in this case for the eternal values of “Holy (Kievan) Rus’.”

Finally, the Russian Orthodox Church explicitly seeks to reverse the secularization of society. It can therefore support a modernization that results in tangible benefits for the poor, but it cannot support policies that promote secularization. What the Church strives for, therefore, can best be described as modernization without secularization.

Whether or not such a thing is even possible is the subject of intense debate in Russia. Western social scientists tend to view secularization as a central characteristic of modern societies. Orthodox critics of modernity, however, believe that an alternative type of modernity can be found in the writings of Russian religious philosophers of the early twentieth century, like George Fedotov, Fyodor Stepun, Ivan Ilyin and Vladimir Weidlé. Their writings are full of references to “creativity,” “freedom” and “new social and political ideals”—issues at the heart of social and psychological modernization—but from a perspective rooted in the Orthodox tradition. Interestingly, their ideas resonated with, and were sometimes inspired by, their Catholic contemporaries, like Jacques Maritain, Henri Bergson and Benedetto Croce.

For centuries, the divisions between Catholics and Orthodox have helped to forge the East-West divide in Europe. By calling this divide into question and highlighting areas where, as Cardinal Kasper reminds us, the two churches are already in harmony—“the arena of ethical values, the themes of social justice and human rights”—perhaps they can now begin to lay the foundations for truly pan-European Christian social agenda.
 
Media Either Ignores Pope / Patriarch Meeting, or Completely Misrepresents It
http://russia-insider.com/en/christianity/rome-meets-russian-orthodoxy/ri12817

The Christophobic, Russophobic, neocon New York Times and Washington Post ignore it altogether - after all the world has only been waiting for this for 1000 years or so. Nothing to report here, keep moving along please ...

Everyone else hid the main issue - persecution of Christians in the Middle East

Dear mainstream media - this is why people can't stand you...

Did you hear about the historic meeting that will occur today between the media superstar Pope Francis and Patriarch Kirill, the leader of the Orthodox Church of Moscow and All Russia? Is there up-front coverage of this in your newspaper this morning?

The meeting is taking place in Havana for the expressed purpose of voicing support for persecuted Christians facing genocide in parts of the Middle East, primarily – at the moment – in Syria and Iraq. There is very little that Rome and Moscow agree on at the moment, when it comes to ecumenical matters, but Francis and Kirill are both very concerned about the persecution of Christians and other religious minorities in that devastated region.

Have you heard about this in major media?

Now, call me naive, but I thought that this meeting would receive major coverage. This is, after all, the first ever meeting – first as in it has never happened before in history – between the leader of the pope of Rome and the patriarch of the world's largest branch of Eastern Orthodox Christianity.

Syria is also in the news, last time I checked. There is a possibility that Americans – this is a nation that includes a few Christians who read newspapers – might be interested in a statement by Pope Francis and Patriarch Kirill on the massacre of Christians in Syria and elsewhere.

I guess I am naive. It appears that the meeting in Cuba today is not very important at all. I mean, look at the front of The New York Times website.

Oh, the pope is there on the front page. There is an advance story on his visit to Mexico.

Zero mention of the historic summit with Kirill.

Zero mention of the persecution of Christians and other religious minority groups in Syria and elsewhere. Just this, in a standard papal tour piece:

... the pope’s itinerary also poses a major risk to the government, highlighting at each turn some of the state’s most obvious challenges and failings – poverty, inequality, corruption and rampant violence. The pope could even combine all these themes at once if he decides to meet with the families of 43 missing students, whose mysterious disappearance has become a byword for government incompetence and complicity with criminality.

But wait. There is a Syria story prominently displayed on the Times website. Maybe the Rome-Moscow meeting is covered in that piece?

MUNICH -- Secretary of State John Kerry and his Russian counterpart, Sergey V. Lavrov, announced that they had agreed on the delivery over the next few days of desperately needed aid to besieged Syrian cities, to be followed by a “cessation of hostilities” within a week on the way to a more formal cease-fire.

Once again, there is zero news here on the Havana summit – which centers on the slaughter in Syria and Iraq. There is zero news here on the persecution of Christians and other religious minorities in the region.

But wait, it appears – hurrah for search programs – that there is a Reuters wire story somewhere inside the Times about the Havana meeting. What does it say that the meeting is about?

HAVANA -- Pope Francis and the head of the Russian Orthodox Church meet in Havana on Friday, nearly 1,000 years after Eastern Orthodoxy split with Rome, for the first encounter in history between a Roman Catholic pope and a Russian Orthodox patriarch. The two religious leaders, guests of a Communist government, will address the millennium-long rift between the Western and Eastern branches of Christianity.

They are also expected to unite in an appeal for an end to persecution and killing of Christians in the Middle East.

The meeting will also carry political overtones, coming at a time of Russian disagreements with the West over Syria and Ukraine.

Over at The Washington Post, the approach is basically the same.

The key: No matter that the Catholic Church says and no matter what the Russian Orthodox Church says, this meeting is NOT really about religious persecution. This is really about politics – alone. Thus, here is the lede of the Associated Press wire report inside the Post.

MOSCOW -- When Patriarch Kirill meets Pope Francis this week, the historic event will allow the head of the Russian Orthodox Church to assert Russia’s leading role in the Eastern Christian world. It may also allow Kirill, a skillful political player with close ties to President Vladimir Putin, to open a new avenue of communication for the Kremlin as it tries to escape Western isolation.

What is the conclusion that can be drawn from this?

Simply stated: According to elite media, religion does not play a significant role in the events unfolding in Syria. There is no need to take seriously the concerns of Christians and members of other minority religious groups (including more moderate forms of Islam) who are being crushed in between the monsters and their armies who are fighting for supremacy in this corner of the world.

No, this story is all about a clash between Putin and President Barack Obama. That is what really matters. There is no need to cover BOTH the religious and the political angles of this meeting.

The concerns of the pope and the patriarch? They are not all that important.

Want to see this in action, once again? Here is the top of the Reuters advance story for the Cuba meeting, which is being circulated by Religion News Service.

The headline? "Putin may benefit from meeting of Pope Francis and Patriarch Kirill."

VATICAN CITY/MOSCOW (Reuters) -- A meeting between Pope Francis and Russia’s Orthodox Patriarch Kirill on Friday (Feb. 12) could not happen without a green light from President Vladimir Putin, diplomats and analysts say, and he may be one the beneficiaries.

In a landmark step towards healing the 1,000-year-old rift between the Western and Eastern branches of Christianity, the two religious leaders will meet in Havana on the pope’s way to Mexico.

Buried down in the piece there is this:

Alexander Volkov, Russian church spokesman, said that while a joint declaration will dwell on the Middle East’s persecuted Christians, tensions between Russia and the West may be brought up in the talks.

So, once again, the actual cause and concerns that brought the two sides together are not all that important.

Oh well. Whatever. Nevermind.
 
Pope Francis arrives in Mexico City to a mariachi serenade (Photo - Video)
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/world/article60181696.html

His first trip as pontiff to Mexico, followed a historic meeting in Cuba with the leader of the Russian Orthodox Church

The pope personally greeted the mariachis, and put on one of the musicians’ gold-trimmed black charro hats

At the papal nuncio residence where he is staying, he told those gathered that everyone needed to rest for the days ahead

MEXICO CITY — Pope Francis arrived Friday night on his first trip as pontiff to the overwhelmingly Roman Catholic country of Mexico, following a historic meeting in Cuba with the leader of the Russian Orthodox Church and looking ahead to a pointed and problematic mission.

Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto and his wife, Angelica Rivera, greeted the pope, surrounded by mariachis and festively dressed dancers singing the Mexican classic “Cielito Lindo.”

“Queremos su bendicion!” the crowd shouted–”We want your blessing!”

It is the fourth trip to the Americas for the Argentine native, the first pope born in the Americas.

Arriving at Benito Juarez International Airport at 7:30 p.m. local time, the pope confronted an extraordinary Mexican spectacle: A full mariachi band, complete with men decked out in charro outfits and women dancers in white blouses and red skirts.

Many in the delirious audience of about 5,000 displayed the lights of their cellular phones, while also waving handkerchiefs of green, white and red, the colors of the Mexican flag.

Dancers on hand at the airport moved to a number of well-known Mexican songs, including “Jarabe Tapatio,” a traditional dance tune from the northern state of Jalisco. Enjoying the show from the red carpet, the pope applauded the performers.

Also greeting him were four children–two boys and two girls–wearing indigenous clothing from various regions of Mexico; one donned a complete mariachi outfit. The pope seemed to enjoy chatting with the children on the red carpet.

Later, children dressed in white ran toward the pope and embraced the pontiff. Mexico’s first lady lifted a child up to him, and he gave the child a kiss on the cheek. Announcers said the approach of the children was unscripted.

Then came the collective shout: “Mexico! Mexico!” and “Bendicion!” The smiling pope, appearing to savor the moment, turned and offered a blessing to the fevered crowd, then walked along the foot of the grand stands set up on the tarmac and repeating his blessing.

Because of the wind, the pope removed the white cap he traditionally wears and held it in his hand.

The pope later personally greeted the mariachis, and put on one of the musicians’ broad-brimmed, gold-trimmed black charro hats, flashing another broad grin.

The pope, still flanked by the Mexican president and first lady, later welcomed a number of Mexican cardinals and bishops, taking time to chat with several of them. Also in the crowd were members of the Mexican Cabinet.

Finally, the pope and his growing entourage entered the Presidential Hanger, setting off by motorcade on the 12-mile ride to the papal nuncio residence in the south of Mexico City. The pontiff rode in the papamovil, or pope-mobile, with three police motorcycles at the front of the procession.

The pontiff made no public remarks before making the trip, but less than an hour after arriving, Francis came out the gates of the residence to the delighted screams of the remaining faithful.

He had not been scheduled to speak publicly, but he approached the crowd and accepted two white roses before taking a microphone. He prayed with those gathered and said that everyone needed to rest for the days ahead.

Ahead of the pope’s arrival, Mexicans have beseeched him to address a roster of national troubles, including murderous violence, a raging drug war and government corruption.

On the eve of the pontiff’s visit, another Mexican journalist was killed – one of 16 slain in a state ruled by Pena Nieto’s party – and another prison riot left nearly 50 people dead. Dozens of priests and religious workers have also been killed, kidnapped or threatened.

The pope has said he will not shy away from criticizing “the little piece of war” that he said Mexicans were living, and from holding the powerful accountable.

In the Zocalo, in the heart of the Mexican capital and once the hub of the Aztec empire, access was restricted for several blocks in all directions in anticipation of Francis’s visit, which is expected to draw massive crowds to the city center. Many people were planning to arrive after midnight and sleep on the streets to secure a good viewing spot. Police were installing metal detectors along the cobble-stoned streets.

On Saturday morning, an official welcoming ceremony is scheduled at the National Palace, in the Zocalo, before a “courtesy visit” with Pena Nieto. Later, Francis was to meet with Mexican bishops, across the Zocalo in the colonial-era Cathedral.

Access was restricted for several blocks in all directions in the Zocalo, the heart of the Mexican capital and once the hub of the Aztec empire, in anticipation of Francis’s visit, which is expected to draw massive crowds to the city center. Many people were planning to arrive after midnight and sleep on the streets to secure a good viewing spot. Police were installing metal detectors along the cobble-stoned streets.

A grand stand and seats were set out in the Zocalo for 65,000 who had tickets to enter and watch the spectacle on huge screens erected for the occasion. Banners welcomed the pontiff to “your home.”

Across town, barriers were being thrown up Friday along Calzada de Guadalupe, the route that the pope was scheduled to take on his trip Saturday to the Basilica of Guadalupe, Mexico’s pre-eminent Catholic shrine. Banners with the Mexican and Vatican flags hung from electric poles up and down the avenues.

As many as 4 million people were expected to descend on the area of the basilica, authorities said, though only 35,000 had tickets for the mass service inside presided over by Francis. Tickets were distributed in local parishes.

Access to the basilica grounds was already blocked off early Saturday, upsetting some early well-wishers.

“How is it possible I can’t enter the basilica?” protested a Catholic nun who was among many who could not get in. “I came all the way from Tijuana!
 
The Holy Summit in Havana Got Prime Time Coverage in Russia (Video)
http://russia-insider.com/en/christianity/holly-summit-havana-highlights-video/ri12900

Highlights of the meeting of Pope Francis and Patriarch Kirill and their joint statement

Originally appeared at Rossiya-1. Translated by Julia Rakhmetova and Rhod Mackenzie

Dmitry Kiselev is the most influential anchor on Russian TV hosting a Vesti Nedely (News of the Week) current affairs show on state Rossiya-1 channel.

In last Sunday’s program he gave a point by point analysis of the meeting and joint declaration by Patriach Kirill and Pope Francis.

Here’s what he stresses among other things:

P. 19 details the issues on which Catholic and Orthodox 'share the same concept':

'The family is the natural centre of human life and society. We are concerned about the crisis in the family in many countries.’

And then they state that it's very important both for Orthodox and Catholic to avoid ambiguity:

20. 'The family is based on marriage, an act of freely given and faithful love between a man and a woman. It is love that seals their union and teaches them to accept one another as a gift.

Marriage is a school of love and faithfulness. We regret that other forms of cohabitation have been placed on the same level as this union, while the concept consecrated in the biblical tradition, that paternity and maternity are the special vocation of man and woman in marriage, is being evacuated from the public’s consciousness’.

Kiselev goes on to say that the two high priests could sign the joint declaration seated on their respective chairs, even using digital signatures and greeting each other on Skype.

“However it was of crucial importance for them to meet face to face, touching, eye contact and even odor for nonverbal consolidation in the oldest area of the brain.”

After all, they’re earthbound human beings. (Russian Video)
 
Patriarch's English Message: 'I'm Open to Discussion with Everybody' (Video)
http://russia-insider.com/en/patriarch-kirill-we-need-joint-action-protect-christians-middle-east/ri12928

Patriarch Kirill, who spoke to RT America host Ed Schultz following his meeting with Pope Francis, said joint action is needed to protect Christians in the Middle East.

While Pope Francis and Patriarch Kirill of the Russian Orthodox Church met in Havana, Cuba, RT America host Ed Schultz had the opportunity to interview the patriarch after his meeting with the pope.

The video, published on Feb 15th, 2016 is around 25 minutes in length and packed with discussion topics including:

-The re-birth of Christianity in Russia, which has gone through somewhat of a radical transformation since the fall of the Soviet Union, but has also gone somewhat unnoticed in the west.

- Persecution of Christians in the Middle East, which, as Patriarch Kirill noted, would require force to defeat the terrorists who are murdering and destroying all that is left of Christianity in the region.

- The difficulties faced by Christians in developed countries, especially how atheistic movements have been trying to push Christianity out of public life.

- US-Russia relations. This topic is especially important to him, as he stated that due to the destructive capabilities of both Russia and the United States, all measures must be taken to avoid war between the two nations, stating that Americans and Russians share many of the same values, as both nations have their roots in Christianity.

- In regards to Europe's immigration/refugee crisis. While stating that we must help refugees coming to Europe, the patriarch also said that rather than simply "giving them a fish" we should help them make it possible to return home and prosper once again.


"Give a man a fish, he'll eat for a day. Teach a man to fish, he'll eat for a lifetime"

- On meeting Pope Francis, the Patriarch mentioned how easy it was to speak with him because the two shared the same faith in Jesus Christ.

- Among his most important proposals, the patriarch stated his willingness to address US congress, just as Pope Francis did in 2016. When asked about it, Patriarch Kirill even replied in English:


“I’m ready to have contact and discussion with anyone who is open to the possibility of having a discussion with me. I’m entirely open to everyone."

It seems certainly clear that the meeting between Pope Francis and Patriarch Kirill has opened up many more opportunities for the two churches to cooperate further, united in their Christian faith.


Patriarch Kirill Holds Summit with Penguins in Antarctica (Videos)
http://russia-insider.com/en/christianity/patriarch-kirill-meets-penguins-antarctica/ri12922

On the first leg of his overseas tour, Russian Orthodox Church Patriarch Kirill went to Cuba where he met with the Roman Catholic Pope Frances. This was immediately named the Meeting of a Millenium.

On the last leg of his visit, he flew over to Antarctica – the first time in history a Russian Patriarch has done so. He prayed at the Holy Trinity Church at the Russian Bellinsgausen research station, calling the southern continent an ideal model of cohabitation without borders, arms and animosities.

Then the speedboat took him over to the penguins’ settlement.


Patriarch Kirill and Pope Francis meet
http://www.pravdareport.com/photo/album/8009/

The Patriarch Kirill and Pope Francis met for the first-ever papal meeting with a historic development in the 1,000-year schism within Christianity. Photo album.


Pope Francis scolds person who pulled him down in Mexico
http://www.cnn.com/2016/02/17/world/pope-francis-mexico-stumble/

For a Pope often seen as calm and collected, the look on his face after a mishap at a Mexican stadium came as a stunner.

The Pope was greeting a crowd in the city of Morelia on Tuesday when someone apparently grabbed him by the hand and wouldn't let go.

The worshiper ended up pulling the Pope down onto a young man in a wheelchair.

Francis regained his balance with the help of a security guard. But his normally smiling face morphed into a look of anger as he apparently yelled at the person in the crowd.
 
A Mystery at the Vatican?

The meeting of Russian Patriarch Kirill and Pope Francis in Havana, Cuba, was on Friday Feb. 12, 2016.

The seven-months pregnant secretary of Roman Catholic Church leader Pope Francis was reportedly found dead at her apartment in Rome, Her brother found the body on Friday ( Feb. 19 ) after he had not heard from her for several days. Those who knew Woulou from the Santa Marta say she had been on sick leave for more than a week, but no one appeared to have checked in on her, including other family members who live in the area.


Pope and Russian Orthodox Leader Meet in Historic Step
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/13/world/americas/pope-arrives-in-cuba-for-historic-meeting-with-russian-orthodox-leader.html

HAVANA — Pope Francis on Friday became the first pontiff to ever meet a patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church, as the two Christian leaders set aside centuries of division in a historic encounter that was held in an unlikely setting: a room at the Havana airport.

Having announced the meeting only a week ago, Francis landed in Havana about 2 p.m. for a stopover that lasted a few hours, before he continued to Mexico City for his six-day visit to Mexico. Awaiting him in Havana was Patriarch Kirill, who was making an official visit to Cuba at the invitation of President Raúl Castro.

As he approached the Russian patriarch amid the clicking of news cameras, Francis was overheard to say, “Brother.” A moment later, he added, “Finally.”

The meeting was richly symbolic: Francis, 79, leader of the world’s 1.2 billion Roman Catholics, stood with Kirill, 69, leader of the largest church in the Eastern Orthodox world, with an estimated 150 million followers. But it was also about geopolitics, rivalries among Orthodox leaders and, analysts say, the maneuverings of President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia — who is closely aligned with the conservative Russian church.

Mysterious death of Pope Francis aide alarms Vatican
http://nypost.com/2016/02/27/mysterious-death-of-pope-francis-aide-alarms-vatican/

Sat. February 27, 2016 - Pope Francis’s secretary, 34-year-old Miriam Wuolou of Eritrea, was found dead earlier this week — and the Vatican is calling foul.

Wuolou’s body was discovered in her Rome apartment by police after her brother raised concern that she wasn’t answering her phone. She was seven months pregnant and suffered from diabetes, which can prove dangerous — even fatal — during pregnancy.

The Vatican, however, has called for an investigation into the woman’s death. Police have interviewed her brother, her ex-husband and her most recent boyfriend, who is believed to be a policeman employed by the Vatican, the Italian newspaper Il Messaggero reports.

Investigators will also perform a DNA test on Wuolou’s fetus to determine the paternity of the unborn child.

Wuolou’s apartment has been sealed off; forensic teams have combed it for evidence and have even removed several personal effects for further examination, neighbors told The Daily Beast.

A funeral service for Wuolou was held on Saturday. Pope Francis visited her body prior to the memorial, laying a dozen white roses next to her casket and sprinkling the coffin with holy water before beginning a 20-minute prayer.


Did Someone Kill the Pope’s Receptionist?
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2016/02/23/did-someone-kill-the-pope-s-receptionist.html

Tues. Feb. 23, 2016 - The mysterious death of a pregnant woman who worked at Pope Francis’s hotel has the pope upset—and the Vatican calling for a criminal investigation.

ROME — Miriam Wuolou was not just any hotel receptionist. The 34-year-old Eritrean, who had Italian citizenship through marriage, was the receptionist at the Domus Santa Marta, the small hotel inside the walls of Vatican City where Pope Francis lives.

She was the smiling face he saw morning and night, the one who greeted him with his key and handed him his personal messages. He congratulated her when he found out she was pregnant, and he is said to be terribly upset about the news that she is now dead.

Wuolou’s body was found in her private apartment in the Pisana suburb of Rome in an advanced state of decomposition after her brother alerted the police that she hadn’t been answering her phone. The military police went to the scene and forced open her door.

Woulou, who was seven months pregnant, was reported to be clothed with no apparent signs of violence. Her medical records show that she was diabetic, which, during pregnancy, can be especially dangerous, and even fatal, but police clearly aren’t satisfied that an Insulin error caused her death.

The Vatican also weighed in, asking for a complete autopsy and criminal investigation, according to Il Messaggero newspaper, which broke the story of the receptionist’s death on Tuesday.

On Tuesday, Woulou’s house was still sealed off and neighbors told The Daily Beast that forensic teams had combed it for clues for many hours after her body was found, even removing some of her personal effects for further examination. Neighbors assumed that they were investigating a homicide based on the level of scrutiny.

Police sources also tell The Daily Beast that the inquest will cover ample ground. One of the theories being floated involves Woulou’s husband, who did not live with her at the time of her death, nor, it seems, maybe ever.

They suspect the husband, whose name has not been released, may have married Woulou under a business arrangement to provide her with Italian citizenship, which is a costly service sought all too often by those applying for asylum or permission to stay. Those who want a passport generally pay up to €10,000 ($11,000) for the marriage of convenience. That may or may not be the case with Woulou, but police confirm they are looking into how her citizenship was granted.

Police questioned the husband at length to determine whether he was hoping to marry someone else or if he, in any way, contributed to her death. Woulou’s brother was also questioned about the details of his sister’s life, including whether or not anyone would want to harm her. Neither the husband nor brother is a suspect in any crime, but they are considered persons of interest and, as such, are banned from talking to reporters.

The autopsy, which will be carried out this week, will also include thorough toxicology exams to rule out homicide or any form of foul play. Those who knew Woulou from the Santa Marta say she had been on sick leave for more than a week, but no one appeared to have checked in on her, including other family members who live in the area.

Investigators are also wondering just who, if not Woulou’s legal husband, might be the father of her unborn child and have ordered a DNA test on the fetus. Local media reported that Pope Francis, who knew the woman well, took the news of her death especially hard, though the Vatican has not made any official comment on the mysterious case.

Last month, Pope Francis used the homily of one of his daily masses to mourn the loss of another woman from Santa Marta who passed away. According to Alessandro Notarnicola, who writes the blog Inside the Walls about life in Vatican City, the pope described the people who work inside Santa Marta as his family. “This group of men and women are part of our family,” he said, before offering a special prayer for the woman, who died after a long illness. “They form a family, they are not just employees.”
 
Pope Francis approves sainthood for Mother Teresa
http://katehon.com/news/pope-francis-approves-sainthood-mother-teresa

Tuesday, 15 March, 2016 - Pope Francis on Tuesday approved sainthood for Mother Teresa, the missionary nun who became a global if controversial symbol of compassion for her care of the sick and destitute. The pontiff set September 4 as the date for her canonisation, elevating the Nobel peace laureate to an official icon for the Catholic faith. The move comes 19 years after the death of the Albanian nun who dedicated much of her adult life to working with the poor in the slums of Kolkata, India. Officials said the canonisation ceremony would take place at the Vatican — an announcement which had been expected but nevertheless disappointed Indian Catholics who had hoped for a visit by Francis.

On Tuesday, hundreds attended a prayer meeting at Mother House in Kolkata, the global headquarters of the Missionaries of Charity where Mother Teresa is buried. Sushmita Roy, a housewife who was one of those attending, said Teresa had long been a saint in the eyes of Indian believers. “I came here today to pay homage to her,” Roy said. “It would have been great if the canonisation of Mother Teresa would have been held in this city where she spent her life.”

– ‘Saint of the Gutters’ – Teresa, who was 87 when she died in 1997, was revered by Catholics and and many others around the world. Known as the “Angel of Mercy” or “Saint of the Gutters”, she won the 1979 Nobel peace prize for her work with the poor. But she was also a controversial and divisive figure with critics branding her a religious imperialist whose fervent opposition to birth control and abortion ran contrary to the interests of the communities she claimed to serve.

Despite posthumously published letters revealing that she suffered crises of faith throughout her life, Teresa has been fast-tracked to canonisation in unusually quick time, underlining her status as a modern-day icon of Catholicism. Teresa took the first step to sainthood in 2003 when she was beatified by Pope John Paul II following the recognition of a claim she had posthumously inspired the 1998 healing of a critically-ill Bengali tribal woman. Last year she was credited by Vatican experts with inspiring the 2008 recovery of a Brazilian man suffering from multiple brain tumours, thus meeting the Church’s standard requirement for sainthood of having been involved in two certifiable miracles.

– Gentle eye that ‘sees’ – Teresa was born Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu to Albanian parents in 1910 in Skopje, now the capital of Macedonia. She started her life as a nun as a teenager with a missionary order in Ireland and arrived in India in 1929. She founded her own Missionaries of Charity order in 1950 and was granted Indian citizenship a year later. Francis, who regards Teresa as the incarnation of the kind of Church he wants to lead, met the by-then internationally famous nun three years before her death, when he was still a bishop in Argentina. He later joked that she had seemed so formidable he “would have been scared if she had been my mother superior”.

Others were much harsher in their judgement, with the likes of Australian-born feminist writer Germaine Greer and British polemicist Christopher Hitchens accusing her of contributing to the misery of the poor with what they saw as her dogmatic views.
In her Nobel acceptance speech Teresa described terminations of pregnancies as “direct murder by the mother herself”. Critics also raised questions about the Missionaries of Charity’s finances and the often insalubrious conditions in the order’s hospices. The late Italian film director and writer Pier Paolo Pasolini was among those who fell under her spell, in his case when he met her during a trip to India in the early 1960s. “She has an almost virile jaw and a gentle eye that in its gaze ‘sees’, he wrote, describing Teresa as a a combination of “goodness without sentimentality, someone with no expectations who is both calm and calming, powerfully practical.” India granted her a state funeral after her death and her grave has since become a pilgrimage site.
 
Miracle? American Orthodox Bishop's Body Did Not Decay After 5 Years of Burial in Dallas (Photos)
http://russia-insider.com/en/miracle-american-orthodox-bishops-body-did-not-decay-after-5-years-burial-dallas/ri13380

The body was buried in August 2011 in 105 degree heat. It was not embalmed. When it was disinterred, the vault in which it lay was damp, and the skin, coffin and vestments were wet from the damp atmosphere.

An article was written about this a few days ago in the authoritative American Conservative.

The bishop was an American, Robert Royster, who had converted to Russian orthodoxy having grown up southern baptist. (Wikipedia)

Originally appeared at Pravoslavie.ru

Vladimir Grigorenko was the iconographer of St. Seraphim's Orthodox cathedral in Dallas and a close friend of Archbishop Dimitri's.

He was present both at his funeral and the five days until his burial, and at his exhumation and reinterment on Friday.

Yesterday we put Archbishop Dmitri in his final resting place in St. Seraphim Cathedral in Dallas.

I was blessed to be a part of a team, which uncovered Vladika’s earthly remains and transferred them into new coffin to be buried in the crypt of the Resurrection Chapel and probably should offer some comments about these events.

It was Archbishop Dmitri wish and our deep desire that he would be buried on the premises of St. Seraphim Cathedral in Dallas. We started to plan that next morning after his departure in August 2011.

Unfortunately, we had not enough time to satisfy all the requirements of the city code, which is why the parish decided to bury our beloved pastor at the Restland Cemetery, on the plot owned by the cathedral. The idea was that we would bring his earthly remains to cathedral as soon as a proper burial place would be built.

Due to lack of space under the cathedral's foundation, we had to build a memorial chapel adjusted to the cathedral with an underground burial chamber in it. This building process, together with filing all the necessary paperwork and acquiring all the permits, took us a little over four years. We scheduled Vladika’s re-internment for the closest available date.

In accordance with federal law as it had been presented to us by the Restland Cemetery Funeral Director, in order to be moved to the new place, the body of the deceased person has to be transferred to a new sealed coffin by Cemetery employees, who will deliver the body to the Church site.

I personally negotiated with the Funeral Director that Church representatives must be allowed to oversee this transition. I have to admit, during this negotiation the Funeral Director (with 25 years of experience) explained to us in details what horrific picture we would see if we chose to be present.

Several people, clergy and laity from different parishes throughout the diocese, including myself, were chosen to participate. Dr. Ron Rodriguez, MD, Vladika’s primary physician, was one of them.

In the early morning of March 4, when Restland employees opened the concrete vault that contained Vladika’s wooden coffin, I was ready to see all these horrible things I was told about.

To our amazement, Vladika’s coffin was found intact amidst the wet atmosphere of the sealed vault and was easily opened.

The Funeral Director, who was present there in a complete haz-mat mask, stated that she had never seen a non-embalmed body in such a condition after 5 years in the grave, and that she believes it is a miracle.

From that moment on, Restland employees stepped aside and allowed us to do everything we needed.

Vladika's body was found incorrupt and covered with several layers of soaking wet vestments. I will not go into much detail here - you can tell a lot from the few pictures attached.

His skin was dry but covered with condensed water, his pectoral cross and Panagia are tarnished, and the enamel images are peeling off and destroyed by harsh conditions.

Since we were obliged to transfer the archbishop to a new coffin and the condition of his body allowed it, it was decided on the spot to remove the old vestments and to cover him with a new set. It was done with great reverence, and without any damage to the body.

Vladika Dmitri's new coffin was then sealed and transferred to St. Seraphim Cathedral, where a memorial service was served by the OCA's Metropolitan Tikhon and Bishop Alejo of Mexico, with over 20 priests and a few hundred lay people from all around the USA and Mexico.

The next day, after the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy, Archbishop Dmitri's relics were placed for eternal rest in a closed underground chamber in the Resurrection Chapel of St. Seraphim's Orthodox Cathedral in Dallas.
 
Add this article from The Sakers site today: http://thesaker.is/a-negative-view-of-christianity-and-religion-in-general/
Of course, we have to keep in mind that not all, if any, 'believers' are ready for a look at who the real Christ being referenced might be, but that is always true as well. Warning, though good, it is very long and one might need to skip a few sentences at times in order to finish the task. ;) Essentially, it deals with nation states/empires and their religions... as well as brief comparisons and connections to this thread.

Dear friends, Christ is Risen!

I have enjoyed a much needed break, but I could not fully forget about the blog and a few current events. Many of you have asked me for my reaction to the meeting between Patriarch Kirill and Pope Francis but at the time I decided not to comment about it. The time just did not feel right and I was not ready for it. However, during this break my mind naturally returned to spiritual matters and I decided that it was now or never, if I did not tackle the spiritual issues surrounding this meeting, I would never have the time or energy to do that later. So I wrote the article below. You will see that it does not really focus on this meeting at all, being as it is, just the small tip of a much bigger iceberg. I decided to tackle if not the entire iceberg, then at least a good chunk of it. I hope that at least some of you will find some merit in this. To the others I will just say not to worry. This is probably a one-off exercise and the blog will now return to its normal topics.

Hugs and cheers,

The Saker

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