- (AFP) - The Russian Orthodox Church criticised the Roman
Catholic Church on Friday for allegedly attempting to convert young Russians,
including orphans. "Vatican forces think they have to transform Russia
into a Catholic country to increase their influence in the world,"
Orthodox spokesman Vsevolod Chaplin told journalists, claiming however
that the conversion rate was poor.
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- "Those who, smiling in front of the cameras, act
in ways harmful to the Orthodox Church are making a meeting between the
Pope and Patriarch Alexy II more difficult," he told journalists.
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- The head of Russia's Orthodox Church, Alexy II has had
long-standing differences with Pope John Paul II over alleged Roman Catholic
proselytism in Russia.
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- Orthodox priest Alexander Abramov also criticised the
Catholic church, accusing it of trying "to manipulate children and
orphans."
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- The Orthodox Church has compiled a list of what it calls
forced conversions, including a visit to a Catholic mass in Poland by athiest
children from the western Russian city of Smolensk.
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- Tensions were further inflamed when Russia refused to
grant a visa to an Italian priest and the Polish bishop who heads the Siberian
diocese.
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- Around 70 per cent of Russia's population of 144 million
belong to the Orthodox Church, while Catholics are estimated to number
no more than 600,000.
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- http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/181_10346,0000.htm
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