In a telegram released by the Kremlin, Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed his "deepest condolences" over the death of Pope Frances.
The Russian leader praised the Pope's role in actively "sponsoring dialogue" between the Vatican and the Russian Orthodox Church, as well as with the Kremlin itself.
Yet ties between Pope Francis and Moscow strained amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine. In May of 2022, the Pope publicly chastised the Patriarch for his public support of the war — describing a conversation in which he warned Kirill must not serve as "Putin's altar boy."
"Brother, we are not state clerics, we cannot use the language of politics but that of Jesus," said the Pope in describing the exchange to the Italian daily Corriere Della Sera."We are pastors of the same holy people of God. Because of this, we must seek avenues of peace, to put an end to the firing of weapons."
Putin and Pope Frances met three times in person — lastly in 2021 — but were known to speak occasionally by phone as well. Russian state media claimed Putin called Frances every March to mark his ascension to the Papacy.
But if there were lingering resentments over the Pope's criticism of the war in Ukraine, Putin expressed none in his condolence letter.
"I've had occasion to talk with this great man on more than one occasion," wrote the Kremlin leader. "And I will forever preserve the brightest memory of him."
The Russian Orthodox Church said it would send a "high-ranking delegation" to the Vatican for the funeral services.
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