Pope Benedict XVI has sent a message of condolences to the Greek Orthodox Church after the death of its head, Archbishop Christodoulos, the Vatican said on Tuesday.
In a message sent Monday, the pope said that Christodoulos had helped usher in a ''new era or cordial cooperation'' between Athens and Rome.
Benedict recalled the ''fraternal welcome'' that the Orthodox leader had given Pope John Paul II when he made a groundbreaking visit to Athens in 2001.
That visit is seen as marking a turning point in relations between the Catholic and Orthodox Churches following the Great Schism of 1054 that split Christianity.
Archbishop Christodoulos's visit to Rome in 2006 was a further sign of the new season in relations between the two churches, the pope said.
Benedict said he prayed that the Greek church would ''continue the pastoral efforts'' of Christodoulos.
