Russia Church Urges Resolve With Catholics

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Monday April 25, 2005 4:16 PM
MOSCOW (AP) - The head of the Russian Orthodox Church said Monday a visit by Pope Benedict XVI to Russia would be possible only after the two churches resolve their longtime differences.

``There cannot be a visit for the sake of a visit. There cannot be a meeting purely for television cameras,'' the Interfax new agency quoted Patriarch Alexy II as saying.

Relations between the world's two largest Christian communities have been tense amid Russian allegations of Catholic proselytizing. The tensions prevented the late John Paul II from visiting Russia - a trip he had dreamed of making as part of his efforts to reconcile the two churches.

Commenting Monday on Benedict's pledge to develop dialogue with other religions, Alexy said: ``We don't know if that's going to affect (relations) with the Russian Orthodox Church. The future will show.''

http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,1280,-4961582,00.html