Pope, Russian Patriarch Meeting Promotes Greater World Religious Tolerance

© Sputnik / Sergey Pyatakov / Go to the mediabankPatriarch Kirill and Pope Francis Meet in Havana
Patriarch Kirill and Pope Francis Meet in Havana - Sputnik International
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Analysts said that the historic meeting between Pope Francis and Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia in Havana will inspire greater religious tolerance in the world.

Patriarch Kirill and Pope Francis Meet in Havana - Sputnik International
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MOSCOW (Sputnik), Anastasia Levchenko – The historic meeting between Pope Francis and Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia in Havana will inspire greater religious tolerance in the world, particularly in the Middle East, analysts told Sputnik.

"This meeting is important on many levels. It enacts what many perceive as Pope Francis's commitment to bringing about reconciliation especially among Christians as a witness to Jesus's message of unity and compassion. It has been reported that in a phone conversation with the Patriarch, the Pope told him that he would accommodate the Patriarch's schedule," Sandra Yocum, chair of the religious studies department at the University of Dayton, told Sputnik.

The meeting between head of the Roman Catholic Church Pope Francis and head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia occurred at Havana’s Jose Marti International Airport on Friday. The meeting marks the first time a Catholic pope and an Orthodox patriarch met since Christianity split into western and eastern branches in 1054.

"I would not separate the historic and the symbolic. It is in some senses a powerful historic moment precisely because of its symbolic dimension. These two men are meeting in Cuba, a surprising site (at least from a United States perspective). It is a place in which neither man is in charge and where each can demonstrate that there are greater concerns today that overshadow the differences of the past (though those differences remain serious)," Yocum told Sputnik.

Patriarch Kirill said his meeting with Pope Francis in the capital of Cuba was brotherly and that both agreed that they should actively cooperate. The two religious leaders called on the international community to prevent the expulsion of Christians from the Middle East, as well as to put an end to violence and terrorism in the region in a joint declaration signed after the meeting.

"Their uniting to stop the atrocities against Christians in the Middle East will require actions that are beyond the power of the pontiff and patriarch. One can hope that the moral authority that each of these men possess within each of their communities will inspire political leaders and others active in peace-making in the Middle East to attend more vigorously to protection of Christians in the Middle East and to assist those who have been forced to flee from their homelands," Sandra Yocum said.

She explained to Sputnik that even though the meeting between Pope Francis and Patriarch Kirill might not directly lead to certain action in the Middle East, it has great potential in terms of influencing individual action.

"I would suggest that a way to promote religious tolerance that is within reach for all of us is through a concerted effort to understanding different faiths not only through education about other faiths but also in face-to-face meetings with those of the other faiths. This meeting between Pope Francis and Patriarch Kirill is a dramatic example of this kind of meeting. Beyond seeking the cessation of violence, Pope Francis is enacting something of his theology of encounter, a conviction that the Christian missionary disciple encounters Jesus in all whom we meet in our daily lives," Yocum told Sputnik.

Thomas Groome, Professor of Theology and Religious Education at Boston College, told Sputnik that the historic meeting in Havana does have political implications, even though its primary drive is a spiritual one.

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"While the meeting of Pope Francis and Patriarch Kirill is spiritual and religious, it also has political implications. Given the close relationship of the Russian Orthodox Church with the Russian Government, an improving of the spiritual relationships could also bring improved political relations and a united concern and intervention for the safety of Christians in the Middle East," Groome explained.

He warned against underestimating the symbolism of the meeting between the leaders of the two churches.

"It is a historic event that is very symbolic. But remember — in religious matters, the symbolic is the most powerful of all; we believe that religious symbols help to effect what they symbolize. While there is still a long way to go, yet even a journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step. This is an important first step," Groome said.

In their Friday joint declaration, Pope Francis and Patriarch Kirill called upon Christians of Eastern and Western Europe to unite, explaining that the location of the meeting was chosen to stress the importance of Catholics and Orthodox Christians coming together despite their historic stand-off.

The religious leaders stressed that they are not competitors, but brothers, emphasizing that this concept must guide the mutual actions of the two Churches. The call comes amid a rise of conflicts across the world, particularly in the Middle East, where Islamic State (IS, also known as Daesh) radicals have gained ground, forcing thousands of people to flee their homes in search for safety and refuge elsewhere, in the European Union in particular.

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