World
Pope won’t meet Russian Orthodox patriarch during Kazakh visit – RIA
2022.08.24 20:18
FILE PHOTO – Pope Francis holds the weekly general audience at the Vatican, August 24, 2022. Vatican Media/Handout via REUTERS
(Reuters) – When Pope Francis attends a gathering of religious leaders in Kazakhstan next month he will not meet the Russian Orthodox patriarch, who backs the war in Ukraine, RIA news agency cited a senior Orthodox official as saying on Wednesday.
Francis, due to be in the capital Nur-Sultan from Sept. 13-15 to attend the VII Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions, has said in several recent interviews he hopes to meet with patriarch Kirill when in Kazakhstan.