In Moscow yesterday a meeting was held between Patriarch Kirill and the prior of the Basilica of San Nicola in Bari, father Ciro Capotosto, who was there with the bursar, fra’ Vincenzo Marrulli. According to today’s release from the Patriarchate, during the meeting Kirill mentioned the time he visited Bari in December 1969. “For the Russian Orthodox population, Bari is a holy place, like Mount Athos or the holy places in Palestine”, stated the Patriarch, who emphasised the great spiritual meaning of this place in the relations between the two Churches. “One thing is when theologians sit around a table and discuss theological matters; one thing is when our population comes into contact with our Western brothers, especially in a holy place”, he claimed. “It is very important to theologically explore our bilateral relations but above all to feel each other’s hearts”, he added. According to Kirill, the mission of the Dominican friars of Bari is “extremely important to promote stronger relations between our Churches”. That’s why “it is essential for the Catholic Church to stay faithful to the values of the Gospel that the Russian Orthodox Church guards too”. This makes Russian pilgrims “feel at home, among brothers and sisters, when they are in Bari”. Kirill expressed his gratitude to the Dominican friars of Bari for the way they look after the Russian pilgrims and for their good relations with the Orthodox archpriest of Bari, Andrei Boytsov.