The Loveable Russians Are At It Again

The Russians are a temperate bunch.

For those under 30, whose recollections of the Cold war are hazy, and did not for instance live in fear of Barksdale Air Force base being destroyed by the "bomb" (and me with it) you really missed out on the fun. For instance the movie 'Red Dawn" was a huge hit. I still love it even though younger folks tell me it is gawd awful.

Well we have some important talks going on between the Orthodox and Catholics right now. Pope Benedict mentioned it yesterday in his Wednesday audience. Russian Orthodox are often quite vocal and to say the least diplomatic. They are also I might add giving Catholics fit in areas of the former Soviet Union.

Whispers in the Loggia in his usual informative posts has this tidbit snuck in.
Underscoring the difficulties that stand between the much hoped-for meeting between Pope Benedict and the Russian Orthodox Patriarch Alexei II, the delegation of the Moscow Patriarchate stormed out of the Catholic-Orthodox dialogue currently taking place in Ravenna, citing the presence of an Estonian delegation that the Russians continue to see as part of their fold. Quoting a senior Russian hierarch present at the gathering, Interfax reported that the attendance of the Estonian Apostolic church -- whose formation by the Constantinople Patriarchate, the Muscovites allege, infringed on their canonical territory -- inflamed Alexei's representatives, who "warned" that if the Estonians didn't walk, the Russian delegates would. Even despite the disruption, however, a spokesprelate for the Moscow Patriarchate maintained the importance Alexei and his eparchs place on good relations with Rome. The most prized and sensitive ecumenical dialogue of the current pontificate is at the top of the papal radar these days as Archbishop Paul Josef Cordes, head of the Holy See's humanitarian efforts, prepares for his own meeting with the Russian Patriarch a week from today, and month's end will see the ordination of B16's new choice to head Moscow's Catholic fold, Archbishop-elect Paolo Pezzi. While a Roman ordination for the Italian-born prelate -- whose appointment was viewed as a further conciliatory move toward the Orthodox -- could've been easily explained, Pezzi will be ordained in his new charge's Cathedral of the Mother of God by his departing predecessor, Archbishop Tadeusz Kondrusiewicz, on 27 October; the outgoing archbishop is headed back to his native Belarus as its top prelate. To celebrate with the ordinand, 47, a pilgrimage is being arranged by his confreres of Comunione e Liberazione; previously seminary rector in St Petersburg, Pezzi is a member of Missionaries of St Charles Borromeo -- the priestly community of Pope Benedict's favorite movement. In a statement announcing Cordes' trip, the Holy See sought to play up the extent of the church's charity efforts on Russian soil, a diplomatic counter to allegations that the Catholic presence is one bent on proselytism. "In Russia," the release said, the work of charity "is the root of many experiences of fruitful collaboration with the Orthodox church." Cordes' trip, the Vatican noted, is "a moment to show how Deus caritas est" -- Benedict's first encyclical -- "has inspired the pledge of charity" in the "vast country." As a further sign of the increasing warmth between Rome and Moscow, plans came to light over the summer for a Patriarchate-sponsored autumn symposium on the papal encyclical. Despite the confluence of conference and Cordes' visit, no mention was made of his attendance at the gathering.