The Moscow Patriarchate official states again that actions of
Greek-Catholics (Uniates) in Ukraine impede normal dialogue with the
Catholic Church.
"The Unia is a stumbling block in the dialogue between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church. The Catholic Church exercises certain restraint and even unwillingness to discuss the question," head of the Synodal Department for External Church Relations Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk told the journalists commenting the results of his recent meeting with Pope Francis and the session of the Orthodox-Catholic Commission for Theological Dialogue.
He stressed that it was impossible to avoid the question, "as Uniates loudly and violently remind of their existence almost every day."
The hierarch was positive about his meeting with the pontiff saying that he conveyed him a particle of St. Seraphim relics as a gift from Patriarch Kirill.
Metropolitan Hilarion pointed out that historic meeting between Patriarch Kirill and Pope Francis held in Havana this February "opened new prospects in relations with the Roman Catholic Church."
Earlier, the Russian Church more that once accused Ukrainian Greek Catholics of anti-Russian rhetorics, also saying they were extremely politicized.