Russia: Russian leaders past and present hailed the late Pope John Paul II as a towering figure, but many Russian citizens said yesterday that a chance had been squandered to mend fences between Roman Catholics and the Russian Orthodox Church.
Former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, who met the Polish-born pontiff in December 1989, days before the fall of the Berlin Wall ended the Cold War, was fulsome in his praise.
"I think John Paul II had a huge impact on ending the Cold War," Mr Gorbachev said yesterday. "Today humanity has said farewell to a great figure, an exceptional man."
"He took an unfailing interest in life in the USSR and Russia and he supported the democratic reforms that took place in our country," he added.
Many Russians had harsh words about strained relations between the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches, a legacy of the Great Schism of 1054 between the eastern and western branches of Christianity.
John Paul II visited Orthodox countries such as Greece, Bulgaria, Romania, Georgia and Ukraine but never received an invitation to visit Russia from Patriarch Alexiy II, who feared that Rome was trying to poach Orthodox followers.
"The behaviour of the Orthodox hierarchy was outrageous," said Andrei Piontkovsky, an analyst at the Centre for Strategic Studies. "The Pope did not want to impose himself without the agreement of the Orthodox Church. Their behaviour was very mean and sectarian."
The Pope had a standing invitation from a succession of Russian presidents, including Vladimir Putin, to visit Russia. Statements yesterday from President Putin and Patriarch Alexiy glossed over any strains and expressed sadness at the Pope's passing.
"It was with a feeling of deep sorrow that I received the tragic news of the death of Pope John Paul II," Mr Putin said in a message to Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger in the Vatican.
Patriarch Alexiy said: "The Pope's personality and his works and ideas had a great impact on the course of world events."
"As a Russian Orthodox, I feel sad that the Russian church has failed to use the opportunity to mend ties with the Vatican during his papacy," said Anna, a university lecturer in philosophy, who declined to give her second name. - (Reuters)