Orthodox-Catholic relations. (News in Brief: Russia).

Vatican--The past few years have seen many advances in cooperation between Catholic and Orthodox Churches. (See previous C.I. issues.) In February 2001, for example, Bishop Homeyer, president of the European Bishops' Conference, met with two Orthodox Patriarchs, Bartholomeos of Istanbul and Maxim of Sofia, Bulgaria. In Slovakia, Orthodox and Catholics recently reached an agreement regulating Catholic Church lands and properties. In Damascus, Syrian Catholics and Orthodox have agreed to celebrate Easter on the same day.

Again, not only did Bishop Homeyer Visit Russian Orthodox Patriarch Alexy II in Moscow in January 2002, but there was also a significant Orthodox representation at the interfaith prayer meeting convened by the Pope in Assisi on January 24. The Pope himself has visited the Patriarchs of a number of countries with overwhelming Orthodox populations. However, despite all these advances, the Patriarchy of Russia has so far resisted significant overtures from the Vatican to improve relations and cooperation.

Russia--Russian Patriarch Alexy did not attend the Assisi prayer meeting in person, but he did send a delegation. Russian president Vladimir Putin has made no secret of his desire to have the Catholic and Russian Orthodox Churches "establish full relations" and to have the Pope visit Moscow. He, however, recognizes that such a visit requires the accord of the Moscow Patriarchate.

Since the fall of Communism in 1989, relations between the Catholic and Orthodox in Russia have remained tense. The Patriarchate views all of Russia as a domain exclusively entrusted to the Orthodox Church, even while it recognizes that most Russians are churchless. Consequently, it accuses the Catholic Church, (both the Latin-rite and Eastern-rite Catholic communities) of "proselytism." The Vatican rejoins that those who have joined the Catholic Church in Russia since the fall of Communism are not Orthodox but people who previously had no faith and, as in other countries, they are simply returning to their Catholic roots.

On February 12, the Vatican announced the establishment of four Catholic dioceses in Russia, elevated from previously established administrative districts. It was nothing more than a normal ecclesiastical step. The Moscow Patriarchate, however, saw it as another sinister move intended to undermine Orthodoxy. The Patriarch cancelled a visit by Cardinal Walter Kasper, president of the Pontifical Council for Christian Unity, scheduled for February 21-22, and the Russian Parliament, at the demand of the Patriarchate, is denying entry visas to any representatives of the Vatican and the four dioceses. It has since transpired that the Moscow patriarchy did not know that there had been four Catholic dioceses in Russia before the Communist revolution in 1917.

Greece--Archbishop Christodoulos, head of the Greek Orthodox Church in Greece, had a personal desire to attend the prayer meetings at Assisi, and reciprocate John Paul's visit to Greece last May. However, on orders of the Greek Synod, he had to decline the papal invitation to visit Rome and Assisi. No delegation was sent from Greece on the grounds that many Greek Orthodox are confused by ecumenism and opposed to mingling with representatives of non-Christian religions for fear of endangering their own faith.

Belarus--There have been some unsettling developments towards Christians in this overwhelmingly Orthodox country. A Catholic Mass which is normally broadcast every week on television has been interrupted several times with no explanations given, and there have been unsigned newspaper articles denouncing Catholics and Protestants as "destructive groups" that "pose a threat to society".