Pope’s envoy arrives in Moscow

The emissary of the Pope, Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, arrived in Moscow. This was reported by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of the Mother of God in Moscow on its VKontakte page.

“The hierarch arrived in Moscow on Tuesday evening, staying at the Apostolic Nunciature. Officially, the program of the visit was not announced by either the Vatican or the Russian side,” says in the message.

On June 28, the cardinal will meet with Archbishop Paul Pezzi. On June 29, the Solemnity of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, Zuppi will take part in a divine service at the Cathedral in Moscow.

It is reported that through state contacts, a representative of the presidential administration may become the interlocutor of the envoy of the Pope. In early June, Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that the president’s schedule did not include a meeting with Matteo Zuppi. At the Russian Foreign Ministry notedthat meetings with the envoy of the Vatican are also not planned.

Earlier, RIA Novosti, with reference to the chairman of the Department for External Church Relations (DECR) of the Moscow Patriarchate, Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk (Sevryuk) wrotethat Zuppi may also meet with Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus’.

The day before, June 27, the Vatican informedthat the Pope’s envoy will visit Moscow on June 28 and 29. “The main goal of the initiative is to encourage gestures of humanity that can help resolve the current tragic situation and find ways to achieve a just world,” the message says.

Prior to this, Zuppi visited Ukraine. On June 6, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that he had discussed humanitarian cooperation with the envoy as part of the implementation of the Ukrainian “peace formula”. At a meeting with Zuppi, the Ukrainian leader declaredthat a ceasefire and a freeze on the conflict will not lead to peace.