Pope Leo XIV receives Viktor Orbán at the Vatican

This Monday, Pope Leo XIV received in a private audience two political leaders with very different visions on the immigration issue. In the morning he met with the Prime Minister of Hungary, Viktor Orbán; and in the afternoon he received Magnus Brunner, European Union Commissioner for Home Affairs and Migration.

Orbán maintains a restrictive stance on migration and has repeatedly criticized the immigrant redistribution policies promoted by the European Union. For his part, Brunner defends a common migration policy and supports the application of the European Pact on Migration and Asylum, an agreement that the Hungarian leader firmly rejects.

First official meeting between Leo XIV and Viktor Orbán

Orbán arrived punctually at nine in the morning at the Patio de San Damaso, in the Apostolic Palace, to hold his first official meeting with the Holy Father. Subsequently, he met with Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State of the Holy See, and Bishop Paul Richard Gallagher, Secretary for Relations with States and International Organizations.

The Vatican did not offer details about the content of the private audience with the Pontiff nor did it specify whether the immigration issue was among the topics discussed. For his part, the Hungarian prime minister stated in his X account that he asked the Pope for his support in his country’s efforts for peace.

During their meeting at the State Secretariat, the solid bilateral relations and appreciation for the commitment of the Catholic Church in promoting social development and well-being of the Hungarian community were highlighted.

According to the Vatican, special attention was paid to the role of the family, the formation and future of young people, as well as the importance of protecting the most vulnerable Christian communities.

The talks also addressed European issues, especially the conflict in Ukraine and the situation in the Middle East.

The Holy Father also received Magnus Brunner, Commissioner of the European Union for Internal Affairs and Migration since December 2024, at the Vatican this afternoon.

The “inhumane” measures that treat immigrants as “waste”

Pope Leo

Likewise, in his Message for the World Day of Migrants and Refugees this year, stressed that migrants and refugees emerge as messengers of hope. “Their bravery and tenacity are a heroic testimony of a faith that sees beyond what our eyes can see and that gives them the strength to defy death on the different contemporary migratory routes,” he stated.