MOSCOW - Russia's Orthodox Church angrily denounced the Vatican yesterday, saying its move to create Roman Catholic dioceses in Russia is aimed at building a structure to win converts from among Orthodox believers.
Further denting prospects of a visit to Russia by the ageing Pope John Paul II, the Orthodox Church leadership dubbed the move an unfriendly act "undermining the chances of better relations between the two Churches."
The outburst follows the Vatican move to formalize its structure in Russia. On Monday, it created four fully fledged Catholic dioceses, strengthening its religious presence for the country's estimated 1.3 million Catholics.
It said it was upgrading the current four "apostolic administrations" -- Southern European Russia, Northern European Russia, Western Siberia and Eastern Siberia -- into the four dioceses beneath "one ecclesiastical Province."
Renewing charges that Rome is out to steal converts from among Russia's traditional Orthodox flock, Patriarch Alexiy II and the Orthodox synod said "missionary aims" lie behind the Vatican's move.
"This is supported by a multitude of facts [showing] missionary activity by the Catholic priesthood among the Russian population," they said in a statement.
"The Moscow patriarchate calls this activity proselytizing and looks on it as one of the basic obstacles to improving relations between our two Churches."
The Vatican would have to bear "responsibility before God and history for the sharp deterioration in our relations and the frustration of hopes for a normalization which had just appeared."
The Russian Foreign Ministry, sitting on the sidelines of the inter-church row, said it had warned the Vatican its move is likely to worsen relations with the Orthodox Church and had urged it to delay a decision.
"It is regrettable that such an important decision was taken without taking due account of the opinion of the Russian side," it said. Moscow would like to help smooth relations between the two churches, it added.
The Russian Orthodox Church has accused Catholics for the past 12 years of using their newfound freedom and legal status in the former Soviet Union to poach believers.
But the sharp tone of yesterday's statement appeared to be a real setback for prospects of any visit to Russia by the Pope.
Now 81 and in frail health, he has made no secret of his desire to visit Moscow to push for unity between the Western and Eastern branches of Christianity, which split in 1054.
Vladimir Putin, the Russian President, is said to favour a papal visit.
But Alexiy II, whose consent would be required, has resisted pressure and refused even to meet the Pope until there is an end to what the Orthodox Church sees as Catholic attempts to make converts in Russia and other Orthodox former Soviet states.
Russian Catholics rejoiced at the Vatican decision, calling it a historically just victory for human rights.
"The elevation to diocese of the apostolic administrative districts that existed for 10 years ... normalizes the status of the Catholic Church in Russia, and cements the right to religious confession," the Conference of Catholic Bishops of Russia said.
The conference added that Catholics have a rich history in Russia going back at least seven centuries, and the Pope's action had "restored the historical justice in regards to Catholics in this nation."