VATICAN CITY – Pope Leo XIV and Italian President Sergio Mattarella held a private audience on Friday, during which the two leaders discussed global conflicts and reaffirmed the deep ties between Italy and the Holy See.
This marks President Mattarella’s first official visit to the Vatican since the election of Pope Leo XIV, the first American pontiff in the Church’s history.
The meeting, held at the Apostolic Palace, lasted just under an hour and was followed by further discussions with Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s Secretary of State, and Monsignor Mirosław Wachowski, Under-Secretary for Relations with States.
According to a statement from the Holy See, the talks were “cordial” and covered a range of global and domestic issues.
“International topics were discussed, with particular attention to the ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East,” the statement noted.
The leaders also touched on various social issues, with an emphasis on the Catholic Church’s continued role in Italian society.
Mattarella was accompanied by his daughter Laura Mattarella, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, and Italy’s Ambassador to the Holy See, Francesco Di Nitto.
Strengthening Bilateral Ties
The Vatican emphasized its appreciation for the “good existing bilateral relations” between Italy and the Holy See.
Italy and the Vatican share a unique historical and political relationship, and Friday’s meeting reaffirmed cooperation on both foreign policy and domestic concerns.
The visit comes at a time of mounting global tensions, with the war in Ukraine showing no signs of ending and conflict in the Middle East threatening regional stability.
Pope Leo XIV, who has signaled a strong commitment to peace diplomacy since taking office, has consistently urged dialogue and humanitarian action in both regions.
