Vatican City: Pope Leo XIV held his first meeting with Emmanuel Macron at the Apostolic Palace in the Vatican City, marking an important moment in relations between the Holy See and France.
President Macron arrived at the Vatican’s Courtyard of St Damasus along with his wife Brigitte Macron. He was welcomed by Monsignor Leonardo Sapienza before proceeding to the Sala del Tronetto, where he greeted Pope and held a private audience. This was the first personal meeting between the two leaders. During the time of Pope Francis, Macron had visited the Vatican on three occasions.
After meeting Pope, the French president held discussions with Cardinal Pietro Parolin, accompanied by Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, Secretary for Relations with States and International Organisations.
According to the Holy See Press Office, the talks were cordial and reflected the strong relationship between the Vatican and France. The discussions focused on major global conflicts and challenges. Both sides expressed hope that peace and stability could be restored through dialogue and negotiation, especially in regions affected by ongoing tensions.
Before his Vatican visit, Macron had arrived in Rome on April 9. He also visited the Community of Sant’Egidio at the Basilica of Santa Maria in Trastevere, where he met President Marco Impagliazzo and founder Andrea Riccardi.
During this visit, Macron paid tribute to Floribert Bwana Chui, a young Congolese man who was killed in 2007 in Goma after standing against corruption linked to spoiled food supplies. He was beatified in 2025, and his life has been recognised as a symbol of courage and integrity.
The meeting at the Vatican comes at a time when global leaders are increasingly calling for dialogue and cooperation to address conflicts and humanitarian challenges across the world.