Francis and Putin discuss defence of Middle East Christians

The Russian President Vladimir Putin and Pope Francis have held their first talks at the Vatican, agreeing on the “urgency” to end the war in Syria, writes Robert Mickens.

A communiqué issued by the Holy See press office at the end of Monday evening’s meeting said the two men also discussed the need to “promote concrete initiatives for a peaceful solution to the conflict” in the Middle Eastern country. It said the Pope and the President agreed that any eventual peace talks should involve Syria’s “various ethnic and religious groups, recognising their essential role in society”.

Vatican spokesman, Fr Federico Lombardi SJ, said the two men did not discuss Orthodox-Catholic relations, although they did speak of the “life of the Catholic community in Russia”. The Associated Press said Mr Putin did not invite Francis to make a papal visit to Russia.
During their 35-minute encounter, which included translators, the Pope and President expressed “satisfaction” with the “good existing bilateral relations” between the governments of the Holy See and Russia. It was Mr Putin’s fourth visit to the Vatican as his country’s President, dating back to the pontificate of John Paul II.

The communiqué said he and Francis also discussed “defence of and promotion of values regarding the dignity of the person, and the protection of human life and the family” as well as  “the critical situation faced by Christians in some regions of the world”.

Pope Francis, especially, has voiced concern over the plight of Christians in “Syria, Iraq, Egypt and other parts of the Holy Land”. Speaking on 21 November to a plenary assembly of the Congregation for Eastern Churches, he said: “We will not resign ourselves to thinking of the Middle East without Christians.”

Pope Francis gave Mr Putin a mosaic with a view of the Vatican gardens and the Russian leader gave Pope Francis an icon of Our Lady of Vladimir. Mr Putin asked Francis, “Do you like the icon?” When the Pope said yes, Mr Putin made the sign of the cross, bowed and kissed the icon, and the Pope followed suit.

* Syrian church leader Gregory III Laham, the Melkite Greek Catholic patriarch of Antioch, has expressed grave concern over the founding of a new Islamic Front in Syria merging seven rebel groups, writes Ellen Teague. This “has nothing to do with democracy and freedom”, he said.