VATICAN, March 13. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin has passed his congratulations to Pope Francis on the 10th anniversary of his election as Catholic pontiff, Russia’s envoy to the Holy See, Alexander Avdeyev, told TASS on Monday.

Since the death of Benedict XVI, criticism has escalated in an indication of the atmosphere of a "civil war" within the church at a time when it is going through a stage of reflection on its future.