What has the Pope decided to do? [originaltext] The Roman Catholic Church sa

The Roman Catholic Church says Pope John Paul has decided to return to Russia a revered icon painting that hangs in his private apartment at the Vatican. The painting will be carried to Russia by a Vatican delegation next month. The BBC Rome correspondent says the Pope had hoped to return the painting in person. But the leader of the Russian Orthodox Church has made it clear that the Pope wouldn’t be welcome because of persisting tensions between the two churches.