Lithuania: Minister, Vatican envoy discuss Pope’s remarks on Russia

Lithuania’s Deputy Foreign Minister, Jovita Neliupsiene, has met with the Vatican’s envoy to Lithuania, Petar Rajic, to discuss recent remarks by Pope Francis about Russia, BNS reports. Neither side provided details about the meeting, however. Earlier, the pontiff addressed young Catholics in St Petersburg, saying that they were “children of great Russia” and “of a Russian people of great culture and great humanity.” The statement drew strong condemnation particularly from Ukraine. The Vatican later clarified that the Pope’s remarks were intended to “encourage young people to preserve Russia’s great cultural and spiritual heritage” and not to glorify Russian imperialism.