The Vatican’s secretary of state, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, visited Russia from Aug. 20 to 24, upon an invitation from Russian state and church authorities.

The meeting included "an exchange of views on various themes, both international and relating to bilateral relations."

To this day I have no idea why the editor of ‘America’ asked me, the youngest and newest member of the staff, to write the story.

Most recently, Russia banned Jehovah’s Witnesses, labeling them “extremist” and ordering the state to seize their properties.

Russia's Supreme Court on Thursday banned Jehovah's Witnesses from operating anywhere in the country, accepting a request from the justice ministry that the religious organization be considered an extremist group.

The violence is brutal, the cruelty extreme and the anti-gay hostility extremely virulent. ​​​​​​​