Pope Francis received Metropolitan Hilarion, the chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations, on December 22, amid rising hopes for a second meeting between Pope Francis and Patriarch Kirill.

“We had a chance to discuss specific dates and venues today, but they are yet to be specified and agreed so we can’t announce the date and place yet,” Metropolitan Hilarion said following the audience.

In its coverage of the hour-long meeting, Vatican News reported that “during the fraternal conversation, they discussed issues of common concern for which the two Churches are committed to seeking concrete human and spiritual responses.”