Pope Francis and Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia embraced each other in Cuba yesterday, describing each other as 'brothers' and vowing to work together towards reconciliation, while recognising their differences. The statement signed by the Pope and the Patriarch acknowledged that obstacles and difficulties still remain between the Eastern and Western branches of the Catholic Church, but said their hope was that the meeting "may contribute to the re–establishment of this unity willed by God, for which Christ prayed." They then went on to highlight areas of the world of mutual concern.
Other issues addressed by Pope Francis and Patriarch Kirill in the statement included young people, whom they urged to defend God's truths, the right to life and the importance of the traditional family structure, and the integration of Europe. "We call upon Christians of Eastern and Western Europe to unite in their shared witness to Christ and the Gospel, so that Europe may preserve its soul, shaped by two thousand years of Christian tradition," the statement said.