Patriarch Kirill: ROC and RCC bear special responsibility for humankind

Patriarch Kirill and Pope Francis in Havana in 2016. Photo: interfax.ru

Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus’ has sent a message to Pope Francis on the occasion of his 85th anniversary, reports the official website of the Moscow Patriarchate.

The Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church emphasized the special importance of interaction between Moscow and Rome, recalling the meeting in Havana in 2016.

“As the heads of the world's two largest Christian Churches, we bear special responsibility for the fate of humankind," Patriarch Kirill wrote to Pope Francis.

He noted that, given the difference in traditions, Moscow and Rome can cooperate in a number of important areas.

"I am pleased to note that, while preserving loyalty to our common traditions, our churches have at the same time achieved a high level of interaction, thanks to which we can take joint steps to celebrate the name of God across the globe, to consolidate the lifelong moral ideals in society, to develop inter-faith dialogue, and to come up with worthy responses to modern-day challenges," says Patriarch Kirill’s message.

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