POPE'S VISIT MUST BE DISCUSSED WITH PATRIARCH KIRILL—SOURCE IN MINSK
The question of a visit to Belarus by Roman Pope Francis should be discussed with Patriarch of Moscow and all-Rus Kirill, Metropolitan of Minsk and Zaslav Pavel, the patriarchal exarch of all-Belorussia, stated on Tuesday.
Earlier, the head of the Roman Catholic Church of Belorussia, Tadeusz Kondrusiewicz, reported that Roman Pope Francis will not be able to visit Belorussia in 2018 because of a full working schedule. The Vatican's ambassador to Belorussia, Gabor Pinter, told RIA Novosti that the Roman pope views "extremely positively" a possible visit to the republic, although the diplomat was hard put to indicate a specific data and even a year. At the same time, Pinter assured that work is being conducted on various levels so that "this event will be able to be conducted in the near future."
"As regards a visit of the pontiff to Belorussia, this is a question that should be discussed by the head of the Russian Orthodox Church and the pontiff. That is, this is not our level and not even the level of inter-governmental relations. In the first place it is the church level. Just as soon as the Roman pope discusses this (a possible visit—ed.) with the patriarch (Kirill—ed.), then we shall be able to know at which level it is," Metropolitan Pavel told journalists.
Earlier, the press service of the Vatican reported that the visit of the Roman pope to Baltic countries will be held from 22 to 25 September; he will visit Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia. (tr. by PDS, posted 21 March 2018)
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