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ROME — Pope Francis will journey subsequent month to Kazakhstan, the place he might meet with Patriarch Kirill, the chief of the Russian Orthodox Church, who has justified Moscow’s conflict in Ukraine.
Francis, 85, will attend an interfaith convention within the Kazakh capital, Nur-Sultan, from Sept. 13-15, the Vatican mentioned Monday.
Francis referred to as off a deliberate encounter with Kirill in June in Jerusalem due to the diplomatic fallout it might have created. Kirill has justified the invasion of Ukraine on non secular and ideological grounds, calling it a “metaphysical” battle with the West. He has blessed Russian troopers going into battle and invoked the concept Russians and Ukrainians are one individuals.
Francis and Kirill, who had a primary historic encounter in Havana in 2016, have spoken by video name not less than as soon as for the reason that conflict started.
The Kazakh authorities is internet hosting a “Congress of Leaders of World and Conventional Religions” from Sept. 14-15. Kirill has been invited and the Moscow Patriarchate has mentioned he would attend.
Getting back from his just-concluded journey to Canada, Francis informed journalists on Saturday that along with Kazakhstan, he additionally hoped to go to Ukraine however that nothing had but been confirmed. Vatican officers say they hoped to arrange a visit even within the coming weeks.
On Sunday, Francis once more prayed for Ukraine, saying he had by no means stopped praying for “the attacked, martyred Ukrainian individuals,” throughout his Canadian pilgrimage.
“In the event you have a look at actuality objectively, contemplating the injury that conflict brings daily to these individuals but additionally your complete world, the one cheap factor to do is to cease and negotiate,” he mentioned. “Could knowledge encourage concrete steps of peace.”
Francis has criticized Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and Kirill’s assist for the conflict, telling an Italian newspaper in Could that the patriarch should not develop into “Putin’s altar boy.”
The Russian Patriarchate shot again that it was regrettable” that Francis “selected the improper tone” to relay the contents of their March video name.
Francis, whose mobility has been restricted due to strained knee ligaments, mentioned he thought the Kazakhstan journey can be pretty “tranquil, with out an excessive amount of shifting round” because it was purely to attend a spiritual congress.
A visit to Ukraine can be way more sophisticated and would presumably require he take the practice in from Poland.
“I’ve mentioned I need to go to Ukraine. Let’s see what I discover after I get house,” he mentioned.
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