MICHAEL BINYON
Shrewd politicians “don’t do God,” but perhaps wise diplomats should. Certainly, that is what the state of Anglo-Russian relations suggests. Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson’s chaotic visit to his Russian counterpart in December could hardly be counted a resounding success. Official state-to-state connections between London and Moscow are in tatters, as icy as during parts of the Cold War. But when it comes to communication between the countries’ religious leaders, a definite rapprochement is underway.
Patriarch Kirill made his first visit to Britain as head of the Russian Orthodox Church in 2016, when he came to celebrate the 300th anniversary of a Russian church in London. Things went well. Kirill was granted an audience with the Queen. Skilfully, he asked to see her as the head of one church visiting the head of another: the monarch is technically at the helm of the Church of England. She was, apparently, also eager to see him and they had a half-hour meeting at Buckingham Palace. Moscow must have been delighted.