The new Apostolic
Nuncio to the Russian Federation, Mgr. Ivan Jurkovic has already met
with the Catholic community in Moscow and is set to also meet with
leaders of the Russian Orthodox Church.
The Vatican
ambassador arrived a week ago and has already submitted a letter of
credentials to the Russian authorities and concelebrated Mass last May 8
in Moscow with Archbishop Mgr. Paolo Pezzi.
In a greeting to the faithful gathered in the Cathedral of the
Mother of God, the nuncio said he was "cheered in return to Moscow and
find a lively and strengthened community ".
Fifty-eight years old, and
of Slovenian origin, Jurkovic had already worked in the Russian capital
between 1992 and 1996, as secretary to the Holy See representation,
before being accredited as the first nuncio in Belarus and then Ukraine.
This week - announced the nunciature - Msgr. Jurkovic is already
scheduled to meet with Bishop Hilarion Alfeye, Head of the Department
for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate.