Cardinal Matteo Zuppi’s visit to Moscow “with the aim of identifying humanitarian initiatives that could open paths to achieve peace” in Ukraine from June 28 to 30, ended on Friday.
During the three days, Pope Francis’ envoy met with Yuri Ushakov, assistant to the president of the Russian Federation for Foreign Policy Affairs.
The also president of the Episcopal Conference of Italy spoke with Maria Lvova-Belova, Commissioner of the President of the Russian Federation for the Rights of the Child.
In the context of the visit to President Vladimir Putin’s adviser, there are reports of the alleged deportation and illegal transfer of children from areas occupied by Russian forces in Ukraine to Russian territory.
According to the Vatican, during the talks “much emphasis was placed on the humanitarian aspect of the initiative, as well as on the need to be able to achieve the much-desired peace.”
The Pope’s envoy visited the Orthodox Church of Saint Nicholas in Tolmachi, in the State Tretyakov Gallery, and stopped in “prayer before the icon of Our Lady of Vladimir, to whom he entrusted his mission.” It is an icon from the early twelfth century, of Byzantine origin, and one of the most revered in Russia.
The Cardinal had a “fruitful meeting” -according to the statement- with the Patriarch of Moscow and all the Russias, Kirill, “to whom he conveyed the greetings of the Holy Father and with whom he also spoke of humanitarian initiatives that could facilitate a peaceful solution” of the conflict in Ukraine.
Later, Cardinal Zuppi met with the representatives of “the Conference of Catholic Bishops of Russia, with whom, together with a large group of priests and in the presence of Ambassadors and Representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, he presided over a solemn concelebration at the Cathedral of the Archdiocese of the Mother of God, in Moscow”.
The Holy Mass “was an occasion to convey to the Catholic community the closeness, memory and prayers of the Holy Father.”
The results of Cardinal Zuppi’s visit to Moscow “will be brought to the attention of the Holy Father, with a view to further steps to be taken, both on the humanitarian plane and in the search for paths to peace. ”
On 27 June, the Vatican announced that the Cardinal would travel in the company of an official from the Secretariat of State and a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin was not planned.
Likewise, he informed on 6 June about the end of the peace mission of Cardinal Zuppi, sent to Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine.