ZAGREB/MOSCOW, Nov 16 (Hina) - The head of the Serb Orthodox Church,Patriarch Pavle, who is on an official visit to Russia together withSerbia and Montenegro President Svetozar Marovic, told a newsconference in Moscow that a possible
visit of Pope John Paul II toSerbia "would be inappropriate at this moment", Croatia's Catholicnews agency IKA said on Tuesday.
ZAGREB/MOSCOW, Nov 16 (Hina) - The head of the Serb Orthodox Church,
Patriarch Pavle, who is on an official visit to Russia together with Serbia and
Montenegro President Svetozar Marovic, told a news conference in Moscow that a
possible visit of Pope John Paul II to Serbia "would be inappropriate at this
moment", Croatia's Catholic news agency IKA said on Tuesday.According to Patriarch Pavle, the Holy Synod of the Serb Orthodox Church
believes that the pope's visit to Serbia at this moment would have negative
consequences. The head of the Serb Orthodox Church, however, failed to give the
reasons why, IKA said.
Patriarch Pavle confirmed that the Vatican had been looking into the
possibilities of the Pontiff's visit to Serbia and his meeting with the head of
the Serb Orthodox Church on several occasions.
Given that the request was never submitted in writing, the Serb Orthodox
Church informed the Vatican "verbally" of its negative position regarding the
pope's visit, IKA quoted today Patriarch Pavle as saying this at a news
conference in Moscow on Monday. today.