MOSCOW. June 16 (Interfax) - The Russian Orthodox Church has denied rumors that a meeting between Patriarch Kirill and Pope Francis is being prepared.
"No such meetings or agreement on such meetings are being discussed, though they were discussed previously. It is up to the leadership of the Russian Orthodox Church to decide whether they could take place," Patriarchal Exarch of Africa, Metropolitan of Klin Leonid said on his Telegram channel on Friday.
Head of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity Kurt Koch called Patriarch Kirill a heretic, and Pope Francis himself made disrespectful remarks about the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Metropolitan Leonid said.
"And we have not received any official apology for that. Indeed, we have been told that an apology was sent via some secret channels. But, excuse me, the insult was inflicted in public, which means that an apology should also be offered publicly. We have not heard it," he said.