The following comes from a February 12 LifeSiteNews article by John-Henry Westen:
A joint declaration signed by both Pope Francis and Patriarch Kirill, head of the Orthodox Church of Moscow and All Russia, issued today after their historic meeting in the Havana Cuba airport issues a strong call for the defense of life and family.
The declaration commenced with a wish to reestablish Christian unity, stating a “determination to undertake all that is necessary to overcome the historical divergences we have inherited.”
The religious leaders expressed the wish to combine the efforts of Orthodox and Catholics “to give witness to the Gospel of Christ and to the shared heritage of the Church of the first millennium, responding together to the challenges of the contemporary world” since “human civilization has entered into a period of epochal change.”
After discussing the violent Christian persecution underway in the Middle East and North Africa, the Pope and Patriarch turned their attention to the West.
“In particular, we observe that the transformation of some countries into secularized societies, estranged from all reference to God and to His truth, constitutes a grave threat to religious freedom,” they said. “It is a source of concern for us that there is a current curtailment of the rights of Christians, if not their outright discrimination, when certain political forces, guided by an often very aggressive secularist ideology, seek to relegate them to the margins of public life.”
The declaration expresses concern about the “crisis in the family in many countries” and notes “Orthodox and Catholics share the same conception of the family.”
“The family is based on marriage, an act of freely given and faithful love between a man and a woman,” it says. “We regret that other forms of cohabitation have been placed on the same level as this union, while the concept, consecrated in the biblical tradition, of paternity and maternity as the distinct vocation of man and woman in marriage is being banished from the public conscience.”
The Pope and Patriarch called for an end to abortion. “We call on all to respect the inalienable right to life,” said the declaration. “Millions are denied the very right to be born into the world. The blood of the unborn cries out to God (cf. Gen 4:10).”
The declaration also condemned euthanasia and immoral reproductive technologies, which would include IVF and destructive research on human embryos.
Unfortunately, the Patriarch is probably more Catholic than the Pope. At least he does not say things which cause scandal. Ave Maria Purrissima !
‘divergences’ (‘divergenze’ in official text) diplomatically can mean ‘disputes’, ‘disagreements’ or ‘differences of opinion’. and so apt for drawing the image of having gone separate paths from a common point. it’s doubtful that kirill was in cuba by chance and ‘fit this in’.’ there is an air of urgency for this meeting at a time of great christian suffering in the foundational countries of christianity.
God bless Pope Francis and Patriarch Kirill for speaking out on these issues. I pray for both of them and Christian unity as the Lord desired it. Christianity has enemies, and they are legion. We need to be united against them and undivided. .
the Russian orthodox church is so ingrained in the mind of the the Russian people there will never be true unity their liturgy is very different and the state pays the bills we still have putin who does not like America, my thought is be in union through the spirit
Gee, I wonder if Pope Francis asked KGB agent Kirill (code name Mikhailov) for his stolen flag back.
Comrade Billionaire Kirill:
https://www.nationalreview.com/article/417383/secret-roots-liberation-theology