Archbishop Cordes to meet with Patriarch Alexy II in Moscow

Vatican City, Oct 10, 2007 / 14:30 pm

Archbishop Paul Josef Cordes, president of the Pontifical Council "Cor Unum," will pay a visit to Patriarch Alexy II in Moscow on October 18. 

"The visit comes in the context of a series of meetings that the president of 'Cor Unum' will make in the Russian Federation between October 15 and 21, "according to the Vatican Press Office.

"From October 15 to 17 he will be at Novosibirsk, the capital of the region of Siberia where, accompanied by Bishop Joseph Werth, he will visit Caritas, the Franciscan school and the Sisters of Mother Teresa of Calcutta. In this area the Catholic Church has distinguished itself in recent years for the increase of charitable initiatives throughout the territory.

"From October 18 to 21, Archbishop Cordes, as a guest of Archbishop Tadeusz Kondrusiewicz, will participate in the work of Caritas groups throughout the Russian Federation.

In Russia, this sector is at the basis of much fruitful collaboration with the Orthodox Church. The meeting is particularly significant because it is taking place a year and a half after the publication of Pope Benedict XVI's first Encyclical, which was dedicated to charity. The Holy See sees this as an opportunity to verify how 'Deus caritas est' has inspired charitable commitment in this vast country.

"The talks with bishops and volunteers of Russian Caritas on the influence of 'Deus caritas est,' the visit to Siberia and the meeting with Alexy II, make this trip an important stage of the mission of the Pontifical Council 'Cor Unum'."