The French President Emmanuel Macron, maintained an encounter with Pope Francis on the Vatican, where they have spoken about the environment and about the situation in the Middle East and in Venezuela, in a familiar atmosphere, reaching to guard.
At the closed door meeting, which lasted an hour instead of the scheduled 30 minutes, addressed issues of international politics, demonstrating “a true convergence” by time to global and regional crises, according to a statement from Elisha.
In addition to the consequences of the pandemic and the distribution of vaccines with poor countries, Pope and Macron took stock of the recent United Nations Climate Change Summit (COP26).
They also addressed the crisis in Lebanon, the situation on the border between Poland and Belarus, emphasizing the need to deploy humanitarian aid there, as well as in Ethiopia.
They also talked about the situation in Latin America, “particularly about Venezuela”, it is read in the French statement, which does not provide more details about it.
For its part, the Holy See did not specify the issues dealt with by the Pontiff and Macron, as it was until recently, when it summarized the most relevant content of the bilateral meetings in a brief.
The Vatican Press Office was limited to exposing the subjects that the French president later addressed with the Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, and with the secretary for relations with States, Monsignor Paul Richard Gallagher.
Among these were the protection of the environment after the recent COP26 of Glasgow E “exchanged visions” on the commitment of France in Lebanon, the Middle East and Africa and the next French Presidency of the European Union.
They also highlighted “the good existing relationships” between the French Republic and the State of the Vatican City, one hundred years after the restoration of bilateral relations, in 1921.
Macron, which signed a new bilateral treaty in Rome to reinforce relations with Italy, came to the Vatican shortly after 11:00 p.m. (10.00 GMT) and was received under the rain for the regent of the Pontifical House, Monsignor Leonardo Sapienza.
The meeting with Pope Francis took place at the Apostolic Palace and was marked by a remarkable and reciprocal familiarity, even getting both to guard, just as it is appreciated in the video shown by the Press Room of the Holy See.
Before the meeting, as always behind closed doors, Macron said to the Pope: “How are you? I see you fatigued,” to which the pontiff responded: “Well”.
Subsequently they proceeded to exchange gifts.
The French leader gave Bergoglio, Jesuit, two biographies of San Ignacio de Loyola: the first rare version written in 1585 by Giovanni Pietro Maffei and a modern one of François Sureau, a member of the French Academy.
Francisco gave him a representation of the Basilica of St. Peter and some documents of his pontificate, as his message for the World Peace Day of 2021. “I hope I do not get bored,” the Pope said to give him the texts, who sent greetings
His wife, Brigitte Macron.
