ROC opposes Vatican mediation in the war between Russia and Ukraine

Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk. Photo: ANSA

Before his first meeting with Pope Leo XIV, the head of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate (DECR), Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk, expressed opposition to the Vatican playing a mediating role in the Russian-Ukrainian conflict.

Asked whether the Holy See could serve as a venue for peace negotiations, as suggested by Pope Leo XIV, the hierarch responded categorically: “A mediator must be neutral… I’m not sure the Catholic Church can call itself neutral.”

As evidence, he pointed out that the representative of the Roman Catholic Church in Kyiv had supported the ban on the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC). He also noted that the episcopate of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC) regularly disseminates “anti-Russian rhetoric,” to which the Apostolic See offers no response.

At the same time, Metropolitan Anthony praised the stance of the late Pope Francis toward Russia, noting that their first meeting with Patriarch Kirill in Cuba in 2016 had a positive impact on bilateral relations. “Pope Francis made an effort to understand the roots of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict and adopted a balanced position. Moscow was grateful to Francis for his sharp criticism of the measures taken by Ukraine against the Russian Orthodox Church,” the ROC representative stated.

Earlier, the UOJ reported that the DECR Chairman informed the Pope about the persecution of the UOC.

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