Vatican accused of 'poaching' believers

RUSSIA: The Russian Orthodox Church accused the Vatican yesterday of trying to poach its believers and told Pope John Paul II…

RUSSIA: The Russian Orthodox Church accused the Vatican yesterday of trying to poach its believers and told Pope John Paul II that he should scrap his plans for a historic visit to Russia this summer.

The Moscow patriarchate denounced the Vatican's creation at the weekend of two full dioceses in Kazakhstan.

It also said that the Lady of Kazan icon - which the Pope hopes to return to the city on the Volga river in August - was not holy enough to justify what would be a first-ever papal trip to Russia.

"The Russian Orthodox Church categorically refuses to accept the decision on the creation of new dioceses in Kazakhstan and considers this step another severe blow to Orthodox-Catholic relations," the patriarchate said in a statement blaming Rome "for the damaging consequences this step will have on relations between the two churches.

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"Furthermore, this move sends a strong signal that the current Vatican leadership is unwilling to hold consultations on issues of mutual interest," the patriarchate said, adding that the move "effectively means abandoning dialogue aimed at reaching a consensus on outstanding issues."

The Moscow church accuses the Vatican of proselytising in Russia and says Orthodox followers in western Ukraine are discriminated against by the strong local congregation of Greek Catholic believers. The Papacy rejects the allegations.

Yesterday's outburst came as the Vatican's State Secretary, Cardinal Angelo Sodano, laid the foundation stone for a new Catholic cathedral in the Kazakh city of Karagandy, as part of a visit marking the Vatican's creation of dioceses in the country's main cities, Astana and Almaty.

The Russian Orthodox Church set up its own Kazakh diocese last week and dispatched a leading church figure, Metropolitan Methodius, to oversee it.

Long-strained relations between the churches deteriorated last year when the Vatican created several dioceses in Russia.

A number of Catholic priests have since been asked to leave or refused entry to Russia, in what Rome calls a calculated campaign of discrimination. The Moscow patriarchate says simple visa irregularities are to blame.

The dispute is casting severe doubt on Pope John Paul's often-stated desire to visit Russia, a historic trip that both the Russian and Italian governments support.