Patriarch Kyrill Says Pope Gives Cause for Hope

Edit: there were many years when the Moscow Patriarchate was in union with Rome when Constantinople wasn't. Now it is the Patriarch who gives cause for hope.


**Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kyrill I. praised the Pope and spoke of the "complete agreement" of the Catholic and Orthodox Church in many public and moral questions: the Pope gives reason for hope.**

Kiev/Moscow (kath.net/KNA) The Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kyrill I praised Pope Benedict because of his moral values. The bearing of this Pope "gives us reasons for optimism", said the Moscow Patriarch on Monday.

The "complete agreement" of the Catholic and Orthodox churches in many public moral questions enables them to work together in making Christian values strong, especially in international organizations.

Kyrill I also mentioned that in the Catholic Church in the later half of the 20th Century has seen reinforced liberal tendencies which give the Orthodox Church cause for concern. So, Benedict XVI. is frequently criticized by liberal theologians, but also by the Western media. The Patriarch also dubbed the Protestant stance on homosexuality as "very dangerous". "Sinful elements" are given entrance, he said. To this Kyril also criticized the women's ordination practiced in Lutheran circles.

The interview with Kyrill I. was released at an all Ukrainian TV-broadcast in the run-up to his Partriarchal visit to the country on the 20th to the 28th of July.

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