Pope Francis met on August 5 with Metropolitan Anthony, the chief external-affairs officer of the Russian Orthodox Church—thereby fueling speculation that the Pontiff might be scheduling a “summit meeting” with the Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill in September.

Early this year Vatican officials had been hoping to schedule such a summit meeting. But those plans were put on hold when Russia invaded Ukraine, and the Russian Patriarch drew international criticism for his support of the offensive.

However, Pope Francis will travel to Kazakhstan in September to attend the VII Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions, and Patriarch Kirill is expected to participate as well. So the prospect of a meeting has been revived.

Metropolitan Anthony became the leading ecumenical voice of the Moscow patriarchate in June. His predecessor, Metropolitan Hilarion, was removed after he made public statements calling for peace in Ukraine.