ROME, JUN 12 (ZENIT.org).- When Vladimir Putin failed to invite John Paul II to visit Russia last week, many observers were surprised. Putin himself said that he wanted wait for such an invitation until the Vatican and the Russian Orthodox Churches have solved their differences, as it would make no sense for the Pope to travel to Russia without meeting with Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow.

    "All is not lost; there could still be surprise developments. We have to continue being optimistic about the possibility that John Paul II will go to Moscow," stated Archbishop Tadeusz Kondrusiewicz, apostolic administrator of European Russia, in an interview that will be published in next month's "Inside the Vatican" ( http://www.insidethevatican.com/ ).

    Archbishop Kondrusiewicz had expected more of Putin. "In Moscow, all the newspapers, radio stations, and television channels were sure that Putin would manage to bring the Pope to Moscow," he explained. "Even Izvestjia' had a headline saying that the president had gone to Rome to invite John Paul II. In the last few months, the Pope has monopolized the front pages. First he pronounced the mea culpa' of the Church for the sins of its children, then the trip to the Holy Land, then the announcement of the third secret of Fatima, and finally, the celebration of his eightieth birthday. Many politicians are now in favor of a possible Papal visit. The situation seemed very favorable."

    The Orthodox authorities still do not think that the moment has arrived for the first meeting of a Pope with the Patriarch of Moscow since the Great Schism. "They think that certain problems need to be solved before a visit of the Holy Father would be possible," explained the Archbishop, "but if we don't meet to discuss, how can we solve the problems?"

    According to Archbishop Kondrusiewicz, the Catholic and Orthodox Churches in Russia share many problems, like the number of people who are caught up in destructive sects, or the dwindling population (2.5 million deaths and 1.3 million births last year). According to official figures, there are 3.5 million abortions each year, though "in reality we calculate that there are twice as many," noted the Archbishop. ZE00061209

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