HAVANA (Kyodo) -- The heads of the Roman Catholic and Russian Orthodox churches met Friday in Havana in the first such conference since the Great Schism that divided the Christian faith nearly 1,000 years ago.
The historic meeting between Pope Francis and Patriarch Kirill was aimed at overcoming theological differences that led to the division of what are now the Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic churches in 1054.
Francis and Kirill signed a joint declaration underscoring their willingness to overcome the differences and also calling on global leaders to address issues such as the persecution of Christians in Iraq and Syria, where the Islamic State militant group is holding territory.
The two churches can actively work together to protect Christians around the world, Kirill said at the meeting at an airport terminal in the Cuban capital, while Francis said they talked like "brothers."
The religious leaders arranged their meeting to coincide with their respective visits to majority Catholic Cuba, which, as a former ally of the Soviet Union, maintains close relations with Russia.
Source-asia. Nikkei
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