Rome, Apr. 21 (CWNews.com) - Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has confirmed that he has been asked to help set up a «summit» meeting between Pope John Paul II and Russian Orthodox Patriarch Alexei II.
After an April 18 meeting with a Russian government leader, Mikhail Kasyanoy, the Italian premier told reporters that the two had discussed the prospects for reconciliation between the Vatican and the Orthodox Patriarchate of Moscow. Berlusconi said that he sought help from the Russian Federation on that issue «at the request of the Holy See.»
«We know that a meeting between John Paul II and Alexei II can be achieved,» Berlusconi said. But he acknowledged that such a meeting could take place only after some healing in the rift between Rome and Moscow.
The Italian leader indicated that he planned to speak directly with Patriarch Alexei II to promote a meeting between the leaders of the world's two largest Christian churches. The prospects for such a meeting were improved, Berlusconi reported, when art experts confirmed that the icon of Mother of God of Kazan, which is now at the Vatican, is genuine. Pope John Paul has promised to return the revered icon to the Russian Orthodox Church-- perhaps during a meeting with the Russian patriarch.
Mikhail Kasyanov, the head of state of the Russian Federation, told reporters in Rome that his government would use «every available means» to promote a meeting between the two religious leaders. The government, he said, looks forward to a reconciliation between the Catholic and Orthodox churches. «However it happens, this rapprochement should take place,» he said.
Rumors have circulated in Rome recently, suggesting that Pope John Paul II might visit Tatarstan in August, on his return trip after a tentatively scheduled voyage to Mongolia. During that stopover, he could meet with Patriarch Alexei and turn over the icon of Kazan, Vatican sources have suggested. To date, Russian Orthodox officials have denied that any such meeting is being contemplated.
The icon of Kazan, depicting the Virgin and baby Jesus, is revered in Russia for having miraculous powers; in particular the icon is credited with the liberation of Moscow from an occupying Polish army in 1612. The icon disappeared from St. Petersburg early in the 20th century, after it was sold to collectors in the US. It was discovered in Fatima, Portugal, and brought to Rome by Pope John Paul in 1991. Russian Orthodox officials claim that the icon was stolen, and should promptly be returned.
The Vatican has not issued any official announcement about plans for a meeting between the Pope and Patriarch Alexei. Papal spokesman Joaquin Navarro-Valls has indicated only that the Holy See is looking for an appropriate manner in which to return the icon. «All the possibilities are under consideration,» he said, pointing out that Pope John Paul has consistently said that he wishes to return the icon to Russian ownership.
Tensions between the Vatican and the Moscow patriarchate have eased somewhat in recent weeks, after a crisis that arose in February 2002 when the Vatican announced the creation of four new Catholic dioceses in Russia. That announcement, and the angry reaction from Moscow, opened a period in which several Catholic priests were expelled from Russia-- apparently because of pressures placed on the government by the Orthodox hierarchy to rid the country of «foreign» priests. Last week the Vatican announced that one of the clerics expelled-- Bishop Jerzy Mazur, the Polish-born head of a new diocese in Irkutsk, would be assigned to another diocese, and replaced in the Siberian diocese by a bishop from Kazakhstan.
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21. april 2003