We need that meeting between Patriarch Kirill and Pope Francis. ItöÏÓãÊÓƵapp a shame the öÏÓãÊÓƵapp Orthodox Patriarch has backed out at the last minute.

öÏÓãÊÓƵapp Orthodox Patriarch Kirill, who was expected to meet Pope Francis at the Congress of World and Traditional Religions in Kazakhstan, will not attend the interreligious gathering in September, a senior öÏÓãÊÓƵapp Orthodox bishop said.

Pope Francis said he plans to meet with öÏÓãÊÓƵapp Orthodox Patriarch Kirill in September at an interreligious meeting in Kazakhstan.

Warning that the öÏÓãÊÓƵapp Orthodox patriarch should not "turn himself into Putin's altar boy," Pope Francis also said he would like to go to Moscow to meet Vladimir Putin in an attempt to end the conflict in Ukraine.

In an Easter message to öÏÓãÊÓƵapp Orthodox Patriarch Kirill of Moscow, Pope Francis prayed that the Holy Spirit would "transform our hearts and make us true peacemakers, especially for war-torn Ukraine."

The Orthodox world, including nearly 40 Canadian Orthodox scholars and clergy, has risen up to condemn the öÏÓãÊÓƵapp Orthodox Church for giving moral and spiritual support to RussiaöÏÓãÊÓƵapp invasion of Ukraine.

VATICAN CITY -- Catholic and Orthodox leaders in Europe have appealed to öÏÓãÊÓƵapp Orthodox Patriarch Kirill of Moscow, urging him to convince öÏÓãÊÓƵapp President Vladimir Putin to put an end to the bloodshed in Ukraine.

MOSCOW, Russia – After malware hacked as many as 200,000 computers throughout the world, the öÏÓãÊÓƵapps have an idea: blessing the computers with holy water.

WASHINGTON  - The joint declaration signed Feb. 12 in Cuba between Pope Francis and öÏÓãÊÓƵapp Orthodox Patriarch Kirill of Moscow has met with a tepid reaction from Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk, major archbishop of the Ukrainian Catholic Church.

ABOARD THE PAPAL FLIGHT FROM HAVANA - Though their differences are recognizable and real, Pope Francis and öÏÓãÊÓƵapp Orthodox Patriarch Kirill of Moscow emphasized their obligation as Christians and as bishops to encourage collaboration among Christians and charity for all who suffer.