In recent weeks, the Vatican has begun discussing a possible meeting in Jerusalem between Pope Francis and the Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill. This would be the second summit connecting the two figures since the Great Schism that divided the Christian religion into Eastern and Western branches in 1054, the first of which took place in 2016 in Cuba. One of the main topics that are most likely to be discussed during this potential meeting is the Russo-Ukrainian war, as this subject illustrates a significant difference between the influential leaders and their views surrounding the current conflict.
Patriarch Kirill has openly endorsed Russia’s attacks on its neighbor, in which he has called upon Russians to support the nation as it pursues new military operations in Ukraine. As the Jerusalem Post quoted, at a sermon in Moscow, the patriarch said, “let the Lord help us unite during this difficult time for our Fatherland, including around the authorities.” Patriarch Kirill has made other open statements surrounding his support for Putin’s attack, viewing the war as a defense mechanism against the West’s encroachment of values and culture. On the other hand, Pope Francis has been less explicit in his referrals regarding Russia; however, during a global event for peace on March 25th, he condemned the nation’s aggression, where he questioned Putin’s motives as well as the value of planting a victory flag “on a heap of rubble.”
In 2009, Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia took over the Russian Orthodox Church and since then has restructured it into a more authoritarian institution, where ties with Putin have grown closer and given legitimacy to the Russian president’s extreme nationalist rhetoric, including the dismissal of the sovereignty and independence of Ukraine as a state. Since the invasion, the patriarch has declared that Russia’s advancements are a part of a “metaphysical” conflict between Russia and Western nations, in which the East must combat, in particular, the promotion of gay pride parades. Additionally, Patriarch Kirill has asked Russians to stave off both external and internal adversaries, a notion similar to that expressed by the Kremlin and President Putin.
As two religious figures bearing immense influence within both the political and social realms, it would be a significant moment for Pope Francis and Patriarch Kirill to speak about their differing opinions surrounding the Russo-Ukrainian conflict publicly. Pope Francis can play an essential role in changing the rhetoric surrounding the conflict and potentially creating a middle ground with Patriarch Kirill, who gives major guidance to the top authorities in the Russian state. A productive and open dialogue between the two leaders, in which Pope Francis’s promotion for peace is successful, can assist in diffusing the conflict and changing the minds of civilians, military personnel, and political leaders across the world.
