Archbishop Gallagher in Moscow: Diplomacy and dialogue in pursuit of peace

By Stefano Leszczynski

Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, Secretary for Relations with States and International Organizations, is visiting the Russian capital from 24 to 28 August.

During his mission to Moscow, he is scheduled to meet with officials of the Russian Federation, representatives of the Moscow Patriarchate, and members of the Catholic community.

The four days of intensive talks and meetings will combine the specifically diplomatic dimension of the visit with an ecclesial one, including encounters with the bishops and the Catholic community in the Russian Federation.

This important mission will also have an ecumenical dimension, with meetings involving representatives of the Moscow Patriarchate.

The programme confirms the Holy See’s determination to continue along the path of dialogue, even during one of the most difficult periods for international relations worldwide.

This is not Archbishop Gallagher’s first visit to the Russian capital. His most recent visit took place in November 2021. On that occasion, he met with Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, and Metropolitan Hilarion Alfeyev, who at the time headed the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations.

Since 2022, the Department for External Church Relations has been headed by Metropolitan Anthony Sevryuk, who succeeded Metropolitan Hilarion.

Alongside the diplomatic engagements, the visit will offer Archbishop Gallagher an opportunity to meet Moscow’s Catholic community.

The Secretary for Relations with States will hold talks with the bishops and representatives of the local community, preside at a Eucharistic celebration, and meet with clergy and men and women religious.

The Catholic Church in Russia is a numerically small community dispersed across a vast geographical area.

Its territorial structure comprises the Archdiocese of the Mother of God at Moscow and the Dioceses of Saint Clement at Saratov, the Transfiguration at Novosibirsk, and Saint Joseph at Irkutsk.