A quite interesting piece from an Italian magazine, posted at (of course) the Papa Ratzinger Forum – one the hope that Pope Benedict will be able to visit Moscow.

Benedict XVI’s road to Moscow goes through Poland. One development in the Pope’s recent trip there which passed almost unnoticed was his encouner with Archbishop Jeremiasz, head of some 500,000 Orthodox Christians who live in Poland.

Karol Wojtyla’s nationality had been one of the principal obstacles to making a historic trip to Russia, and the German Pope has apparently decided to start from Poland to realize what had seemed to be an impossible dream till the present: a meeting in Moscow with Alexei II.

Joseph Ratzinger wanted Cardinal Walter Kasper with him in Poland – Kasper being the principal actor so far in the Church’s dialog with the Orthodox churches. The Orthodox community has not remained indifferent to Benedict XVI’s attentions. At the end of the ecumenical prayer in the Luterhan cathedral of Warsaw, Archbishop Jeremiasz did something outside protocol which indicated his state of mind: he gave his own personal rosary to the Pope as a token of reconciliation.

Much more substance in addition to the symbolism – go read the whole thing.