Patriarch Kirill, Cardinal Koch speak about Catholic-Orthodox partnership

Cardinal Kurt Koch, the president of the Pontifical Council for Christian Unity, met on March 16 with Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill.

Neither the Vatican nor the Russian Orthodox Church released a detailed report on the meeting, which was held in Moscow. 

But the Orthodox patriarchate indicated that Kirill had stressed his support for Pope Benedict in the effort to combat secularization, particularly in Europe. 

The Russian prelate also commented on the positive trend in relations between Rome and Moscow.

Cardinal Koch was visiting Moscow for the first time since his appointment as the Vatican’s chief ecumenist. 

Prior to his meeting with Patriarch Kirill, he had spoken earlier in the week with Metropolitan Hilarion, his counterpart as ecumenical-affairs officer for the Moscow patriarchate.

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