Gorbachev models respect for his fellow atheists:

"To sum up and avoid any misunderstandings, let me say that I have been and remain an atheist."

Mr Gorbachev spent half an hour on his knees in silent prayer at the tomb [of St Francis of Assisi].

After his prayers, Mr Gorbachev toured the Basilica of St Francis and asked in particular to be shown an icon of St Francis portraying his "dream at Spoleto".

"I feel very emotional to be here at such an important place not only for the Catholic faith, but for all humanity."

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The Russian Orthodox Church seemed just as unimpressed.

"In Italy, he spoke in emotional terms, rather than in terms of faith," a spokesman for the Russian Orthodox patriarch Alexei II told the Russian media.

"He is still on his way to Christianity. If he arrives, we will welcome him."¹

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Ronald Reagan, the former United States president, allegedly told his close aides on a number of occasions that he felt his opponent during the Cold War was a "closet believer".²

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Ref. "Gorbachev a closet Christian?" - Chicago Tribune, 3/23/08; "Mikhail Gorbachev admits he is a Christian" - Telegraph, 3/19/08.

¹ Ooh, icy Orthodox. Brrr. Just because he made his comments at a Catholic church.

² Gee, when else has an American president been so wrong about a Russian leader? "I looked the man in the eye. I was able to get a sense of his soul." "Bush and Putin: Best of friends" - BBC News, 6/16/01.

via.