Vatican: First official encounter between Pope Leo XIV and Giorgia Meloni

Pope Leo XIV received on Wednesday at a private audience at the Vatican to the Prime Minister of Italy, Giorgia Meloni.

Although Meloni went to the Inauguration Mass From his pontificate on May 18, it is the first official visit he made to the Holy See since Pope León was chosen Successor of San Pedro.

The president of the Council of Ministers of Italy arrived in the courtyard of San Dámaso at 11:15 in the morning (local time) and held a meeting behind closed doors with the Holy Father.

Together with Giorgia Meloni, a delegation composed of eleven members of the Italian government arrived, among which was the vice president of the Council of Ministers, Antonio Tajani, and Matteo Salvini, also vice president and Minister of Infrastructure and Transportation.

Later he met with Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State of the Holy See, and Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, secretary for relations with states and international organizations.

During the “cordial conversations held” in the State Secretariat, the good relations between the Holy See and Italy, as the Vatican said in a statement.

In addition, the “common commitment in favor of peace in Ukraine and the Middle East” was verified, as well as humanitarian assistance in Gaza.

Without offering more details, the press office of the Holy See indicated that the conversation “continued with a series of issues related to bilateral relations”, as well as “issues of interest” for the Italian Church and society.

In the official statement released by the Holy See, mention is not mentioned, one of the issues that generated the most tensions between the Vatican and the Italian government during Francisco’s pontificate.

Upon receiving Meloni in the royal room of the Apostolic Palace, Pope Leo XIV said with a smile that his encounter was “a great pleasure.”

At the end of the private meeting, several gifts were exchanged. Meloni gave the pontiff a picture of the year 1600 of the University Angelic From Rome, where the Pope graduated in Canon Law.

For his part, the Pontiff gave him a volume over San Agustín. Before saying goodbye, both made a mention of the Summit on Food Security that will be held at the end of July in Ethiopia, Vatican News said.

It should be remembered that, on May 15, Giorgia Meloni congratulated the Holy Father for his choice through a telephone conversation.

On that occasion, the head of the Italian government reiterated during her conversation with Pope Leo XIV “the availability of Italy to continue working, together with the Holy See, in favor of an ethical development and at the service of the human being of artificial intelligence.”