HAVANA, Cuba, Feb 11 (acn) A laborious environment is perceived in the vicinity of the Russian Orthodox Cathedral Our Lady of Kazan, which is getting ready to receive this Sunday to the Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, who will officiate a Divine Liturgy in that temple.
There are also many expectations of Cuban and foreign passersby walking by these days through the Port Avenue, in Old Havana, where it highlights the Byzantine style building with five golden domes, consecrated in October 2008.
Orthodox parishioners, as well as followers of other denominations and nonbelievers, interested in hearing the message of the supreme authority of the Russian Orthodox Church, who will arrive in Cuba on an official visit today, will gather around the temple and its surroundings next Sunday.
In addition to attend the Sunday liturgy, the Russian citizen Alexey Belanchev told ACN he traveled to Havana to have the opportunity of experiencing on Cuban soil the historic meeting between His Holiness Kirill and Pope Francis, on February 12.
As announced on Friday, February 5th in joint communiqué of the Holy See and the Patriarchate of Moscow, the two leaders will see each other in Havana before continuing their tour of Latin America, a region declared two years ago as a Peace Zone by the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States.
Belanchev stressed the importance of that meeting that will occur for the first time between the heads of the two churches after centuries of discord.
He said that for much of his countrymen this approach means new hope for solving many problems in the European continent, as it will be a legacy of mutual understanding and respect.
Meanwhile, Cuban Catholic Jorge Luis Lanzada, described the upcoming meeting as very interesting, especially by occurring in this Caribbean nation, so "it is an honor for us."
We are full of expectations, we all want to know what will happen, I pray that everything to be for the better, he told the agency.
Vatican spokesmen have emphasized the selection of Cuba as venue for the conclave by being a neutral territory, "where there are no confessional difficulties ", as well as because this country is honored to host the meeting of the Primates of Catholic and Orthodox churches, according to the Cuban Foreign Ministry.
Meanwhile, Metropolitan Hilarion, Chairman of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate, recalled in a press conference that the meeting between the Patriarch of Moscow and Pope is being prepared for almost two decades.
Nos reservamos el derecho de no publicar los comentario que incumplan con las normas de este sitio