Russia stops Catholic bishop's trip

MOSCOW -- Roman Catholic Church officials sharply criticized Russia and questioned its commitment to religious freedom Saturday after a Catholic bishop heading back to his Siberian diocese was refused entry -- the second foreign priest barred from Russia this month.

Bishop Jerzy Mazur was turned back at Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport after arriving from his native Poland, said Rev. Igor Kovalevsky, a spokesman for the Catholic Church in Russia. The bishop "was told he was persona non grata and not welcome," and sent back to Warsaw, he said.

Two weeks ago, Russian officers ripped Rev. Stefano Caprio's visa out of his passport as he left, preventing the Italian priest from returning to Russia, where he had worked for over a decade. He said he was told he was on a list of banned foreigners compiled by Russian security services.

Russian officials have given no explanation for the refusals, which come amid escalating discord between Russia's minority Catholics and the dominant Russian Orthodox Church, which has accused the Vatican of poaching believers on its territory.

The Vatican summoned Russian Ambassador Vitaly Litvin to protest Mazur's case, according to Fides, the Vatican's missionary news agency.

Vatican spokesman Joaquin Navarro-Valls called the ban a "grave violation" of Russia's commitment as a signatory of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe, which commits countries to recognizing basic human rights and freedoms.

The Conference of Catholic Bishops of Russia issued a statement Saturday appealing to President Vladimir Putin to guarantee freedom of religion.

"Foreign priests have increasingly often faced difficulties in performing their pastoral duties," the statement said.