Pope attempts to build bridge to Russia

Kirill's former right-hand man was "exiled" for opposing the war in Ukraine

Vatican diplomacy working for peace: the Orthodox exponent is a potential channel for reopening dialogue between the Holy See, the Patriarch of Moscow and the Kremlin

Budapest, Pope Francis receives Orthodox Metropolitan Hilarion of Budapest and Hungary

In order to decipher the diplomatic objectives of Pope Francis' three days in Hungary, it is necessary to refer to the premises of Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin: "No opportunity that may present itself to promote peace will be neglected". Not even an unscheduled interview with Metropolitan Hilarion, former right-hand man of Moscow Patriarch Kirill. Today he is "exiled" in Magyar land - as Metropolitan of Budapest and Hungary - for having criticised the Russian invasion in Ukraine, but he is still a representative of the Patriarchate, and therefore a potential "bridge" to reopen the dialogue between the Holy See, Kirill - "he too could serve to be less isolated", claims one prelate - and the Kremlin, and start a channel with President Vladimir Putin.

The Pontiff receives the exponent of Russian Orthodoxy in the Nunciature, and the face-to-face meeting - "with a cordial tone", the Vatican reports - lasts about 20 minutes. The Nuncio, Monsignor Michael Banach was also present. (Banach is an American, appointed last year, clearly on a mission)

Hilarion had been titular metropolitan of Volokolamsk, President of the Patriarchate's Department for External Ecclesiastical Relations - a kind of foreign minister - and a permanent member of the Holy Synod. For expressing positions in disagreement with the war, he was removed and dismissed in June 2022, and then transferred to Budapest. The local Orthodox website reads that he 'told the Pontiff about the life of the Budapest Diocese of the Moscow Patriarchate'. And in memory of the meeting, he gave the Pope 'four volumes of his monograph "Jesus Christ. Life and Teaching", translated into Italian'.

A few hours earlier, Bergoglio spoke with the poor and refugees. He thanked the local Church for "how it has welcomed so many refugees from Ukraine", and listened to the story of a family that had fled the conflict: "A new life has begun for us here".

At the end of the day, Francis told the young people: 'Not many kilometres from here, war and suffering are the order of the day. Here then is the invitation: take life in hand to help the world live in peace".

Pope meets Hungary's Prime Minister, Orban

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Cathcon:  The goal, according to Time, is a meeting between Putin and the Pope.