Russian patriarch tells papal envoy their Churches should work together for peace

Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, Pope Francis' envoy and President of Italian Episcopal Conference (CEI), attends a mass at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Moscow, Russia June 29, 2023. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov

MOSCOW (Reuters) - The head of Russia's influential Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill, told an envoy of Pope Francis on Thursday their churches should work together to avert "negative political developments and serve the cause of peace and justice."

Kirill is a strong supporter of President Vladimir Putin's decision to send troops into Ukraine, while Francis has called repeatedly for an end to the conflict, which has destroyed Ukrainian villages and towns, caused the deaths of tens of thousands of people and driven millions more from their homes.