 While Alexy II had repeatedly denied the late Pope John Paul II 's requests to visit Russia, Kirill had already met with his Catholic counterpart, Pope Benedict XVI , in December 2007.
<clarity>  While Alexy II had repeatedly denied the late Pope John Paul II 's requests to visit Russia, Kirill had already met with his Catholic counterpart, Pope Benedict XVI , in December 2007.
 While Alexy II had repeatedly denied the late Pope John Paul II 's requests to visit Russia, Kirill had already met with his Catholic counterpart, , in December 2007.