VATICAN CITY (LifeSiteNews) — A state-controlled Russian news outlet claims that Pope Francis has proposed to meet with Patriarch Kirill of the Russian Orthodox Church in Moscow en route to Mongolia toward the end of August or beginning of September.
“The Pope proposes to meet Patriarch Kirill without delay at one of Moscow’s airports, Domodedovo or Vnukovo, when he flies to Mongolia. Then he will have to refuel in Moscow at one of the airports,” Leonid Sevastyanov, chairman of the World Union of Old Believers (WSU), apparently told TASS on Sunday.
Sevastyanov cited a personal conversation with the Pope, saying, “The airport is considered a transit zone, it’s neutral, it would not provoke opposition from those who oppose the pontiff’s visit to Russia. If there is a response from the Patriarch, such a meeting could take place on August 31 on the Pope’s way to Mongolia. Or on his way back on September 4.”
Pope Francis is scheduled to make an apostolic visit to Mongolia from August 31 to September 4. Newsweek reported that a spokesperson for the Holy See told them, “A meeting was planned for last year in June in Jerusalem. At the moment, a new place and time have not been determined.”
According to Reuters, Patriarch Kirill told papal envoy Cardinal Matteo Zuppi in June that the Churches of both East and West should work together to avoid “negative political developments and serve the cause of peace and justice.”
“It is very important that in this difficult time Christian communities in the East and the West take part in this process of reconciliation,” Kirill said.
In an interview with LifeSiteNews’ John-Henry Westen, Xavier Ayral related the proposed Moscow visit to the prophecies of Garbandal, providing details of the current political tensions in Eastern Europe and the Russia-Ukraine war.
According to the prophecies of Garabandal, “Hostilities will break out in different parts of Europe after the Pope’s visit in Moscow,” which “will be followed by a great deal of tribulations.” This will also coincide with an important synod, Ayral said.
Citing territorial disputes between Serbia and Kosovo, involving Russian support of the Serbs and NATO support of Kosovo, Ayral commented, “It appears that we have the fire that only waits for some oil to be spilled upon [it] to grow bigger and bigger.”
In 2016, Pope Francis and Patriarch Kirill met in an airport in Havana, the capital of Cuba, for a first meeting between the heads of the two churches in nearly a millennium.
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After the initial publication of this article, the Holy See Press Office replied to LifeSiteNews’ request for comment, confirming that “a meeting was planned for last year in June in Jerusalem. At the moment a new place and time have not been determined.”
Update: This article was updated on July 27 to include a reply from the Holy See Press Office that was received after the original date and time of publication.