Moscow: Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, the Holy See’s Secretary for Relations with States and International Organizations, has arrived in Moscow for a visit focused on dialogue, peace and relations between the Holy See and Russia.
The Archbishop is scheduled to remain in Russia until August 28. His visit comes at a difficult time for international relations, as the war in Ukraine and wider tensions between Russia and Western countries continue to affect efforts for peace and diplomacy.
During his stay, Archbishop Gallagher will hold talks with senior Russian officials, church leaders and members of the Catholic community. The Vatican sees such contacts as an important way of keeping communication open, even when political relations are strained.
On August 25, Archbishop Gallagher is scheduled to meet Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. He will also meet Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk, who heads the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations.
The following day, August 26, the Archbishop is expected to meet Yuri Ushakov, an aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin responsible for foreign policy.
These meetings are expected to provide an opportunity to discuss international issues and the search for peaceful solutions to ongoing conflicts. The Holy See has repeatedly stressed the importance of dialogue and maintaining contact with all sides in times of crisis.
Archbishop Gallagher will also spend time with the Catholic community in Russia. On August 27, he will meet priests and religious men and women before celebrating Mass at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Moscow.
He will later meet the bishops serving the Catholic Church in Russia.
The Catholic community in Russia is relatively small and spread across a very large country. The Church is organized into the Archdiocese of the Mother of God in Moscow and three dioceses, based in Saratov, Novosibirsk and Irkutsk.
For Catholics in Russia, the Archbishop’s visit is also an opportunity to strengthen their connection with the wider Church and to encourage them in their mission. His meeting with clergy, religious communities and bishops is expected to focus on the pastoral life and challenges of Catholics living across the country.
This is not Archbishop Gallagher’s first visit to Moscow. He previously travelled to the Russian capital in November 2021, when he met senior government officials, including Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin and Foreign Minister Lavrov. He also met Metropolitan Hilarion, who at the time was responsible for the Moscow Patriarchate’s external relations.
His return to Moscow highlights the Holy See’s continued willingness to maintain dialogue with Russian authorities and religious leaders. While the visit is not being presented as a formal peace negotiation, it reflects the Vatican’s broader diplomatic approach of keeping channels of communication open.
The meetings will be closely watched because of the continuing international tensions and the Vatican’s efforts to promote peace. Archbishop Gallagher’s programme brings together political, religious and pastoral engagements, underlining the different roles the Holy See seeks to play through diplomacy and dialogue.
The visit is expected to conclude on August 28, when Archbishop Gallagher returns to Rome.