Metropolitan Hilarion on evangelisation and reconciliation
(Vatican Radio) Pope Benedict XVI met on Tuesday with the head of the Russian Orthodox
Church’s Department for External Church Relations to discuss common challenges, ecumenical
developments and a recent landmark agreement between Moscow and the Polish Catholic
Church. The Pope’s meeting with Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk came just
after the Russian Orthodox archbishop delivered an address to the Synod of Bishops
meeting in the Vatican to discuss the new evangelisation needed to revitalise the
Church, half a century on from the Second Vatican Council. Speaking with Vatican
Radio’s Philippa Hitchen, Metropolitan Hilarion shared details of his conversation
with the Pope, of his own Church’s efforts at a new evangelisation and of the importance
of reconciliation with the Polish Catholic Church…..
Listen:
His Holiness
was curious about what is happening in Russia....he posed many questions about teaching
of religion in schools and the opening of theology faculties in some secular universities...I
shared with him information about the life of the Russian Orthodox Church and the
new evangelisation we are practising in the Russian Federation.....
We also
spoke about the persecution of Christians in the Middle East and other parts of the
world....and we also talked about the development of relations between Catholics and
Orthodox, in particular the development of theological exchanges because since my
last meeting with the Pope, I have also been appointed chairman of the Synod's Biblical
and Theological Commission...