Moscow meeting

The head of the Vatican’s council for Promoting Christian Unity, Cardinal Kurt Koch heads off to Moscow this weekend for a visit aimed at strengthening relations with the Russian Orthodox Church.

The Cardinal, who took over his new job just a few months ago, arrives in the Russian capital on Saturday and will celebrate mass in the Catholic Cathedral there. He will also meet with Russian orthodox officials including Patriarch Kirill, who was elected to that top position two years ago.

The visit comes on the heels of a high profile meeting here in the Vatican in mid-February between Russia’s president Dmitry Medvedev and Pope Benedict, a sign of the warming relations between Moscow and the Holy See. Philippa Hitchen spoke to the Swiss cardinal, just ahead of his departure, to find out what hopes he has of a possible papal visit to Moscow..

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