Pope Francis has maintained that his role is to be a "bridge builder, not a wall," and he has continued to refer to Russian faithful as "brothers. For Putin, the encounter was an opportunity to project an image of a Russia comfortable on the world stage, engaging with major religious leaders as an equal partner.
Russian Leadership, Orthodox Church, and National Identity: The Putin Dynamic
The Soviet era cemented a separation where religion was viewed as a rival to state power, leading to severe persecution. As the leader of the world's largest Orthodox nation and the head of the Catholic Church, their interactions carry weight far beyond a simple diplomatic handshake.
This initial goodwill led to a historic meeting in 2016 when Patriarch Kirill, the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, met with Pope Francis in Cuba. For centuries, the Russian Orthodox Church operated largely independent of, and often in opposition to, the authority of the Pope.
Russian Leadership, Orthodox Church, and National Identity in the Putin Era
This was the first-ever encounter between the two leaders and was seen as a thaw in centuries of mutual suspicion. Officials have accused the Vatican of meddling in internal affairs and supporting a "crusade" against Orthodox believers.
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