Pope Leo XIV is set to meet Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk, the Russian Orthodox Church’s top envoy for external relations, on July 26. This will mark the pontiff’s first audience with a senior Russian Orthodox cleric since his election in May.
Metropolitan Anthony, who represented Patriarch Kirill at the funeral of Pope Francis, plays a key role in Moscow’s religious diplomacy. The meeting signals the Vatican’s intent to reopen communication channels with the Russian Orthodox Church amid tensions over the war in Ukraine, News.Az reports, citing foreign media.
Relations between the Vatican and Moscow’s religious leadership have been fraught since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. During a June 4 phone call, Russian President Vladimir Putin urged Pope Leo to defend “freedom of religion” in Ukraine, referring to Kyiv’s ban on the Moscow-linked Ukrainian Orthodox Church, which Ukraine accuses of maintaining ties to the Kremlin.
The Vatican said the pope emphasized dialogue and religious freedom, while Ukrainian officials have accused Russian forces of destroying churches, abducting clergy, and repressing minority faith groups in occupied territories.
The July 26 meeting comes shortly after Pope Leo’s July 9 audience with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at Castel Gandolfo. Their discussions centered on the war and “the urgent need for a just and lasting peace,” according to the Vatican. Pope Leo reiterated his offer to host peace talks between Moscow and Kyiv — an offer Russia has so far dismissed.
Pope Leo has consistently condemned Russia’s invasion, calling Ukraine a “martyred nation suffering from a senseless war.” His predecessor, Pope Francis, faced criticism for remarks some viewed as downplaying Russia’s role in the conflict.