Admin I Wednesday, June 28, 2023
VATICAN – Papal peace envoy Cardinal Matteo Zuppi is kicking off the second stage of his mission in Moscow as part of effort to negotiate end to the war in Ukraine.
In a statement, press service of the Holy See said the trip will last until June 29 and its main goal is to make a humanitarian contribution to the search for “a way out of the current tragic situation in order to achieve a just peace.”
According to the Rai News 24 TV channel, the Cardinal arrived in the Russian capital on Tuesday evening, staying at the Apostolic nunciature. Officially, the program of Zuppi’s visit was not announced by either the Vatican or the Russian side, TASS reported.
On June 29, the Cardinal will participate in the service in the main Catholic cathedral in Moscow. According to sources in the Russian Orthodox Church, Zuppi’s contact with Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia is possible.
Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin also previously did not rule out that such a meeting might take place. Earlier, Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Vladimir Putin has no plans to meet with Zuppi yet.
From June 15 to 18, a number of meetings, including with Pope Francis, were held by Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk, Chairman of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate. He met with Cardinal Parolin and the Secretary of the Holy See for Relations with States, Archbishop Paul Gallagher.
Vladyka did not meet with Juppi, but it is possible that he discussed his mission with his interlocutors. Zuppi, President of the Italian Bishops’ Conference and Archbishop of Bologna, visited Kiev in early June to meet with Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky and religious figures.
On June 15-18, Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk, Chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations, held a series of meetings at the Vatican, including with Pope Francis.
