Head of the Russian Orthodox Church Patriarch Kirill and Pope Francis met for the first time on Saturday in Havana, Cuba and the meeting concluded with the two men signing a joint declaration, the Interfax news agency reported.
After two hours of ?€?open and fraternal talks,?€? Patriarch Kirill announced that the Russian Orthodox Church and the Catholic Church could now work together all over the world.
?€?We discussed quite a number of initiatives that we can work on together,?€? said Pope Francis, adding that he felt ?€?the presence of the Holy Spirit?€? during the talks.
One of the main points of the declaration was the need to defend persecuted Christians.
?€?We call on the world community to unite against violence and terrorism,?€? the document reads.
The church leaders also discussed the benefits of the European integration, but said that Europe needs to protect the rights of religious believers. They warned against ?€?integration that does not respect religious identity.?€?
The declaration establishes the notion of the family that is shared by both churches ?€” it describes marriage as a free act of love and fidelity between a man and a woman ?€” and also confired the shared negative attitudes toward abortion and euthanasia.
?€?We are not rivals, but brothers,?€? the statement declares. ?€?We urge Catholic and Orthodox believers of the world to learn to live in peace, love and harmony.?€?