Michele Kearney's Snuffysmith's Blog

Anthony Salvia 

Sun, Feb 14, 2016 | http://russia-insider.com/en/results-pope-patriarch-meeting-were-substantial-and-meaningful/ri12836?utm_source=Russia+Insider+Daily+Headlines&utm_campaign=b3f1e3c11d-Russia_Insider_Daily_Headlines11_21_2014&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_c626db089c-b3f1e3c11d-178949765&ct=t%28Russia_Insider_Daily_Headlines11_21_2014%29&mc_cid=b3f1e3c11d&mc_eid=73f16282b9

Patriarch Kirill

The author was Special Advisor to the Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs under Ronald Reagan, director of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty’s Moscow bureau and now Partner at Global Strategic Communications Group, a firm devoted to governmental relations and public advocacy.

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Some in the US and western media have suggested that in meeting with Kirill, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, Pope Francis allowed himself to be used by the Kremlin, which allegedly is able to deploy the Patriarch for its own political purposes.  (Never mind that Patriarchs of Moscow since Gorbachev have had no trouble putting the kibosh on Papal visits to Russia and encounters of the sort that occurred yesterday in Havana.)
There is not the slightest evidence that the Vatican (or the Patriarchate) allowed itself to be used.  The meetings and subsequent communiqué were very much in the interest of all concerned.http://russia-insider.com/en/results-pope-patriarch-meeting-were-substantial-and-meaningful/ri12836?utm_source=Russia+Insider+Daily+Headlines&utm_campaign=b3f1e3c11d-Russia_Insider_Daily_Headlines11_21_2014&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_c626db089c-b3f1e3c11d-178949765&ct=t%28Russia_Insider_Daily_Headlines11_21_2014%29&mc_cid=b3f1e3c11d&mc_eid=73f16282b9