“It is regrettable that a month and a half after the conversation with Patriarch Kirill, Pope Francis chose the wrong tone to convey the content of this conversation,” the Moscow Patriarchate’s department for external church relations said in a statement.
The Russian Orthodox Church added that such statements would not contribute to the establishment of a constructive dialogue between the Roman Catholic and Russian Orthodox Churches.
On March 16, Patriarch Kirill and Pope Francis had a conversation via video link, during which they "discussed a number of current issues of bilateral cooperation."
Earlier, the Russian Orthodox Church reported that they expect more favorable conditions for the meeting of the pontiff and Patriarch Kirill.