MOSCOW, Aug 28: The Vatican returned a much-venerated icon to the Russian Orthodox Church on Saturday in a symbolic gesture by Pope John Paul aimed at easing strained Orthodox-Roman Catholic relations.

The handover ceremony for the 18th century icon, "Our Lady of Kazan" - delivered by papal envoy Cardinal Walter Kasper - was marked by a feeling of hope that centuries of prickly relations were gradually being overcome.

But after a resplendent service at a cathedral inside the Kremlin walls, the head of the Russian church, Patriarch Alexy, reaffirmed that the time was not yet right for the pope to realise his long-standing dream of visiting Russia.

"For the time being, conditions for a papal visit to Russia are not right," he said.

The 84-year-old pope has long wanted to visit Russia as part of his goal of forging a rapprochement between the churches of the East and West, but that goal has been held up by a row over Orthodox accusations the Vatican is proselytising on Russian soil.

Alexy's comments highlighted the tension that still exists between the two sides. Relations with Rome would only improve "when today's gesture is followed by others... and we are not competitors on Russian territory," he said.

But at a three-hour ceremony marked by solemn Orthodox chanting, Kasper nonetheless spoke of a "historic day" and a "new hope of triumphing over all the difficulties, historic or otherwise".-AFP