Church in the World

Putin visits Vatican, but does not invite Benedict XVI to Russia

The Vatican this week sought to portray Pope Benedict XVI's first meeting with President Vladimir Putin as a stepping stone to even warmer relations between the Holy See and Russia, as well as between the Orthodox and Catholic Churches in the former Soviet country.

But again - as in his previous two visits to John Paul II in 2000 and 2003 - Mr Putin did not invite the Pope to visit Russia during his visit to the Vatican. His omission was a reminder that Catholic-Orthodox relations in the country - something the Pope and Mr Putin did discuss - are still too strained for a papal visit to the traditionally Orthodox country.

The Vatican press director, Fr Federico Lombardi, made no reference to a trip, something Catholic officials have realistically had to put on hold. Instead, he highlighted that Tuesday's 25-minute meeting between the Pope and Mr Putin was conducted "in a very positive atmosphere" that was a testimony to the "cordial rapport that exists between the Holy See and the Russian Federation".

The two leaders used Pope Benedict's native German to discuss a wide range of international issues. A report said they had to call on the aid of an attending translator only once. "They did not fail to give attention to the problems of extremism and intolerance, which constitute grave threats to the peaceful coexistence of nations," Fr Lombardi told reporters at the end of the Russian President's early evening visit. He and the Pope underscored "the need to preserve peace and favour negotiated and peaceful solutions to conflicts" around the world, the spokesman said.

One particular area of interest was the Middle East, where they discussed the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, according to press reports. 

While the Pope and President held their talks the Russian Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov, met the Vatican's Secretary of State, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, and its Secretary for Relations with States, Archbishop Dominique Mamberti.

The Vatican pointed out that both the Russian President and the Pope expressed the "will to further improve relationships" between the Vatican and Kremlin, "especially through specifically cultural initiatives". Earlier reports before Tuesday's visit said Mr Putin would be accompanied by Metropolitan Kirill, the Moscow Patriarchate's director of External Relations. However, the Orthodox hierarch was not a part of the 14-member Russian delegation that came to the Vatican.

The Apostolic Nuncio in Moscow, Archbishop Antonio Mennini, said that the Vatican's  priority is not a papal visit to Russia, but improved dialogue between Catholics and Orthodox. The Moscow Patriarch, Alexei II, has refused to come to Rome and does not want the Pope in Russia until tensions are eased over the Holy See's support of Greek Catholics in Ukraine and perceived Catholic proselytism in Russia. Both sides are trying to find a neutral site where Pope Benedict and Patriarch Alexei can hold an historic summit between heads of the Churches of Rome and Moscow.