Russian Patriarch Kirill has met his Georgian counterpart Ilia in Kiev. The Georgian patriarch proposed Kirill to become a mediator in reconciliation of Russia and Georgia, the states that broke diplomatic relations after the war in August 2008.
Ilia urged all Christians to pray for restoration of relations between the states, ITAR-TASS reports.
The Russian Orthodox Church recognizes the right of the Georgian Church for Abkhazia and speaks against establishment of own church in the breakaway republic. Establishment of an independent church was discussed at the Novo-Afonsky Monastery on May 15. The Russian Church spoke out against the initiative, deputy head of the Synod section for foreign links, Archpriest Nikolai Balashov said.
The Georgian patriarch has great influence in the country. The Georgian opposition and President Mikheil Saakashvili appeal to him.
