World Youth Day 2016, to be held in Krakow, Poland, may be the site of a historical meeting between Pope Francis and Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill I.
That, at least, is the hope of Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz, Archbishop of Krakow.
The former secretary of Blessed Pope John Paul II extended an invitation to the Russian Patriarch during a meeting with Metropolitan Hilarion, chairman of the Department of External Church Relations for the Russian Orthodox Church.
According to a report by AFP news agency, Cardinal Dziwisz expressed his desire for the historical meeting between the two religious to take place in Krakow during a press conference.
A meeting between the Supreme Pontiff and the Russian Orthodox Patriarch, he noted, would be more realistic and less problematic in Krakow. Given that WYD is less than 3 years away, there is ample time to organize such an event. The meeting would continue to improve upon the relations between the two Churches.
No word has been given as to whether Patriarch Kirill has accepted the invitation.
