Was meeting with the Russian Orthodox the real reason for the Pope's visit to Hungary?

Pope meets ex-head of foreign office of Moscow Patriarchate

Meeting with Metropolitan Hilarion Saturday noon at the Apostolic Nunciature in Budapest

Pope Francis met the Russian Orthodox Metropolitan of Hungary, Metropolitan Hilarion (Alfeyev), on the second day of his trip to Hungary. The long-time head of the Moscow Patriarchate's foreign office and the head of the Catholic Church spoke for about 20 minutes at the Apostolic Nunciature in Budapest at noon on Saturday.



The Vatican described the exchange as cordial. Hilarion was Moscow Patriarch Cyril's "foreign minister" until June 2022, but was transferred to Budapest in the wake of the Russian war in Ukraine. The background is unclear. In his previous position, which he held from 2009 to 2022, he had been to the Vatican several times. From 2003 to 2009, Hilarion was Bishop of the Russian Orthodox Church in Austria.

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