Russian Orthodox Hierarchs As Schismatic and Nationalist As Ever

Even to the point of Metropolitan Hilarion defending Stalin’s persecution of Ukrainian Catholics! As I wrote before, the conversion of Russia, when it comes, will be a real conversion to the one, true Church, the Roman Catholic Church. Right now, two of  Russian Orthodoxy’s highest leaders are as intransigent, defensive, revisionary, and parochially self-certain as ever when it comes to Petrine authority and the history of the Church in Russia and the East.

In the Denver Archdiocesan newspaper, George Weigel has an interesting and factual analysis of today’s Rome/Moscow relationship —  and it is anything but roseate:

In Russian Federation president Dmitri Medvedev’s recent visit to the Vatican, which included an audience with Pope Benedict XVI, is being trumpeted in some quarters as further evidence of a dramatic breakthrough in relations between the Holy See and Russia, and between the Catholic Church and the Russian Orthodox Church. While I wish that were the case, several recent experiences prompt a certain skepticism. Read his full report here.