MOSCOW, Nov. 1 (UPI) -- The head of the Russian Orthodox Church Monday blamed Roman Catholic conversion efforts for worsening relations between the churches.
Patriarch Alexy II made the comments at a meeting with diplomacy students in Moscow, the Interfax news agency reported.
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"The relations between our churches, which have always been complicated, almost came to a near halt at times," Alexy said.
He said the main problems were the Catholic Church's activities in winning converts from the Orthodox Church, the Catholic Church's expansion in traditionally Russian Orthodox areas and relations between Russian Orthodox Christians and Greek Catholics in western parts of Ukraine, Interfax said.
