▁they ▁also ▁note ▁that ▁Francis ' s ▁" well - document ed ▁work ▁for ▁social ▁justice ▁and ▁his ▁ins istence ▁that ▁global ization ▁is ▁det r iment al ▁to ▁the ▁poor " ▁may ▁have ▁created ▁a ▁" ren ew ed ▁opportunity " ▁for ▁the ▁two ▁Church ▁communities ▁to ▁" work ▁collect ively ▁on ▁issues ▁of ▁mut ual ▁concern ". ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 3 , ▁Pope ▁Francis ▁received ▁The odore ▁II , ▁Pope ▁and ▁Patri arch ▁of ▁Alexand ria ▁and ▁All ▁Africa , ▁the ▁leader ▁of ▁the ▁Greek ▁Orth odox ▁Church ▁of ▁Alexand ria , ▁in ▁the ▁V at ican . ▁ ▁On ▁ 1 2 ▁February ▁ 2 0 1 6 , ▁Pope ▁Francis ▁and ▁Patri arch ▁Kir ill ▁of ▁Moscow , ▁head ▁of ▁the ▁Russian ▁Orth odox ▁Church , ▁met ▁in ▁Hav ana , ▁Cuba , ▁issu ing ▁the ▁J oint ▁Dec laration ▁of ▁Pope ▁Francis ▁and ▁Patri arch ▁Kir ill , ▁calling ▁for ▁restored ▁Christian ▁unity ▁between ▁the ▁two ▁churches . ▁This ▁was ▁reported ▁as ▁the ▁first ▁such ▁high - level ▁meeting ▁between ▁the ▁two ▁churches ▁since ▁the ▁Great ▁Sch ism ▁of ▁ 1 0 5 4 . ▁ ▁On ▁ 2 8 ▁April ▁ 2 0 1 7 , ▁Pope ▁Francis ▁participated ▁in ▁an ▁ec umen ical ▁prayer ▁service ▁in ▁C airo , ▁Egypt , ▁with ▁Pope ▁The odore ▁II , ▁E c umen ical ▁Patri arch ▁Bar th ol ome w , ▁and ▁Co ptic ▁Orth odox ▁Pope ▁T aw ad ros ▁II . ▁This ▁historic