Support The Moscow Times!

Russian Patriarch Kirill and Pope Francis Meet in Cuba, Sign Declaration

Pope Francis, left, reaches to embrace Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill after signing a joint declaration at the Jose Marti International airport in Havana, Cuba, Feb. 12, 2016.

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.”

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysiss and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

A Message from The Moscow Times:

Dear readers,

We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."

These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.

By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more