Pope Benedict XVI Blog

In Moscow Catholics remember John Paul II’s birthday

05/21/2007 12:18
RUSSIA – VATICAN

The “Days of John Paul II,” a series of conferences and prayers commemorating the late pontiff on his 87th birthday, ended yesterday. Mgr Kondrusiewicz highlighted the fact that the commemoration coincided with the reunification of the Russian Orthodox Church. Following the signing of the Act of Canonical Communion, the Vatican expressed hope for greater dialogue between the two sister Churches.

Moscow (AsiaNews) – The “Days of John Paul II,” a three-day series of conferences sponsored by the Catholic Church of Russia to commemorate the late Pontiff, ended yesterday. Begun on Friday May 18 and John Paul II’s birthday, they included prayers in Roman Catholic churches in Russia, and were brought to a close by a memorial meeting on Sunday in the presence of Mgr Antonio Mennini, apostolic nuncio, and Mr Jerzy Bahr, Poland’s ambassador to Moscow.

At the opening of the event, Mgr Tadeusz Kondrusiewicz, archbishop of the diocese of the Mother of God, stressed the fact that the commemoration of John Paul II was happening at the same time that the Russia Orthodox Church was officially ending 80 years of division.
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posted by Dr. Denice Hanley, DPM, M.Div. @ 3:46 PM