US Secretary of State Marco Rubio met Pope Leo XIV during Vatican visit after US President Donald Trump’s repeated attack on pontiff.
According to Al Jazeera, following weeks of tension between the Vatican and the White House, the US State Department said talks on Thursday, May 7, between Pope Leo and Rubio “underscored the strong relationship” between the two sides.
A Vatican statement said they “renewed the shared commitment” for good bilateral relations between the US and the Vatican.
The two sides also exchanged views on current events “with particular attention to countries marked by war, political tensions, and difficult humanitarian situations, as well as on the need to work tirelessly in favour of peace.”
The first American pontiff met Rubio following Donald Trump’s repeated attacks on the Roman Catholic leader over the Iran war launched by Israel and the US.
State Department spokesman, Tommy Pigott said, “The meeting underscored the strong relationship between the United States and the Holy See and their shared commitment to promoting peace and human dignity.”
Rubio spent two-and-a-half hours at the Vatican before driving away in a convoy under tight security.
He met initially with Leo before sitting down with senior Vatican officials, including top diplomat, Italian Cardinal Pietro Parolin.
With Parolin, Rubio discussed “efforts to achieve a durable peace in the Middle East,” Pigott said.
“The discussion reflected the enduring partnership between the United States and the Holy See in advancing religious freedom,” he added.
Thursday’s talks are the first known meeting between Pope Leo and a Trump government official in nearly a year.
Parolin earlier stated that the meeting was requested by the US, and Leo would listen carefully to what Rubio had to say.
