The peace mission entrusted by the Pope to the cardinal Matteo Zuppi it didn’t run out. An important milestone occurred this week with the visit of the Archbishop of Bologna to Moscow. It’s not the first time. In June 2023 the Roman cardinal had already traveled to the Russian capital and there were those who described that trip as a failure because he had not been received by the Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov nor by President Vladimir Putin. The visit demonstrates that that channel with Russia, perhaps the only one still open in the West, remains alive.
The humanitarian way
The mission does not have a political character, but aims to favor the conditions to stop the war and restart dialogue. The path chosen is the humanitarian one: Zuppi, in collaboration with the Secretariat of Statehas worked in recent months to facilitate the return to their homelands of a certain number of Ukrainian minors transferred to Russia. Likewise, the Holy See is asserting its authority and the détente maintained with Moscow despite the conflict to allow prisoner exchange operations. A job to do under the radar and for this reason it cost Zuppi several criticisms, accused of not having achieved anything. If the first trip last year was followed up, however, it means that the efforts made were not in vain.
Who he met
This time too, the cardinal did not meet Putin but was able to speak with Lavrov. A novelty that went unnoticed. In addition to the minister, the president of the CEI also saw Yuri Ushakov, advisor to the president of the Russian Federation for Foreign Policy Affairs, Marija Lvova-Belova, Presidential Commissioner for Children’s Rights, and Tatiana Moskalkova, Presidential Commissioner for Human Rights. The roles of his interlocutors confirm the humanitarian nature of the trip.
The relationship with the Patriarchate
Zuppi also met Metropolitan Antonij of Volokolamsk, president of the Department for External Ecclesiastical Relations of Moscow Patriarchate. We must not forget that the relations between the Church of Rome and that of Moscow have often been the main obstacle to dialogue with the Kremlin. From John Paul II onwards the fear of the Patriarchate was to witness phenomena of Catholic proselytism in Russia weakened by the collapse of the USSR. The strength of the Russian Orthodox Church, however, remained strong under Yeltsin and was strengthened under Putin.
Catholicism was not included among the religions recognized in the Russian constitution. The relationship between Churches improved during the pontificate of Benedict XVI and then again with Francis who met Patriarch Kirill in Cuba. After the outbreak of the conflict in Ukraine, there was some misunderstanding following the Pope’s words about Kirill being defined as “Putin’s altar boy” but in general Moscow continues its dialogue with the Holy See, having appreciated the pacifist positions on the war.
The face to face of Orthodox metropolitan with Zuppi he indicates that ecumenical dialogue continues despite the winds of war with the West. And this could help the cardinal’s mission for peace.