The Pope and Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed the Syrian civil war and the role of Christianity in society as they met for the first time yesterday.
Mr Putin, who met Pope Benedict in 2007 and Pope John Paul II in 2000 and 2003, arrived around 45 minutes late because of transport problems. As he arrived, he stopped to cross himself.
During the talks, the Pope stressed the need to end violence in Syria and bring assistance to the civilian population.
Mr Putin thanked Pope Francis for his early September letter to the G20 leaders meeting in St. Petersburg, in which Francis urged political leaders to abandon the "futile pursuit" of a military solution in Syria.
In September Francis mobilised millions of people around the world to pray and fast for peace in Syria as the US, Britain and other nations considered airstrikes following a chemical weapons attack near Damascus in August. Moscow opposed military intervention.
During their 35-minute meeting at the Vatican the two did not mention the strained relationship between the Vatican and the Russian Orthodox Church, and Mr Putin did not invite Francis to pay a return visit.
But Vatican spokesman Fr Federico Lombardi commented: "It was quite a cordial and constructive meeting."
Relations between the Catholic Church and Russia have been difficult because of accusations that the Vatican has tried to proselytise believers from the Orthodox Church, which it denies.
Mr Putin brought a greeting to Pope Francis from Patriarch Kirill, the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, but did not talk about inter-Church matters, Fr Lombardi said.
The Russian President would not be able to invite the Pope to visit without extending an invitation from the Russian Orthodox Patriarch. Outstanding ecumenical issues prevented Popes Benedict XVI and John Paul II from taking part in such a meeting.
The two leaders exchanged gifts: Mr Putin gave Francis an icon of Our Lady of Vladimir, and Francis gave him a mosaic of the Vatican Gardens.
After they exchanged gifts, Putin asked Francis if he liked the icon, and Francis said he did. Putin then crossed himself and kissed the image, and Francis did likewise.
Mr Putin has embraced the Russian Orthodox Church as a moral authority, harnessed its influence as a source of political support and championed socially conservative values on issues such as homosexuality since starting a new, six-year term in 2012.
Last week Pope Francis met the top Russian Orthodox ecumenical official, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, in Rome and the Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill held a meeting with the Milan Archbishop, Cardinal Angelo Scola in Moscow.
At their Vatican meeting Pope Francis and Metropolitan Hilarion both stressed the importance of defending traditional family values as an important aspect of cooperation between the Moscow Patriarchate and the Holy See.
In Moscow last week, Orthodox Patriarch Kirill said it was time for greater openness between Catholics and the Orthodox, adding “never before have our Churches had so many things in common”.
Photo: CNS/L'Osservatore Romano via Reuters
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