"I am an incorrigible optimist, and I am sure a Pope will come here, and our contacts with the Russian Orthodox Church will be making good progress."
The late lamented John Paul II could not come to Russia-but that does not mean a papal visit to Moscow is impossible at all, remarked Monsignor Kondrusiewicz.
Whoever will be elected to the Holy See, he expects the new pontiff to carry on the line of the Second Vatican Council, aimed to promote interdenominational dialogue and eventually achieve Christian unity. "John Paul II said so in his testament. I think the line will survive," said the Metropolitan.
Extremely much depends now on what progress ecumenical trends will make. "The fate of Christianity is at stake, what with tremendous contemporary challenges. The most alarming of it all is a degradation of Christian values. It saw a practical manifestation, in particular, in the [European Union] Constitution-the entire Christian Europe (and it is really Christian) failed to get a reference to its Christian roots and values written down in the Constitution," he pointed out.
"John Paul II called Europe to breath with its both lungs. That idea deserves the utmost respect, especially in the face of the challenges today's world is making us."
Monsignor Kondrusiewicz expects the new Pope's name to be announced two or three days after the conclave starts its work to elect him.
"It is hard to expect the necessary number of votes-two thirds-will be scored at once. Yet I don't think the election will take more than two days, three at most, as the media are coping with their job, so cardinals know each other quite well."
Monsignor Kondrusiewicz said he would not engage in guesswork on who will be next to the Holy See.
