Pope Leo receives President of the European Parliament

By Deborah Castellano Lubov

Pope Leo XIV received the President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, in the Vatican's Apostolic Palace on Thursday morning.

In a post on her official X account following the meeting, Metsola stated: “A meaningful morning in the Vatican during the audience with His Holiness Pope Leo XIV. Grateful for the clarity of his intentions and for our shared reflections on advancing peace through dialogue in Europe and throughout the world.”

During her visit to Rome today, Metsola was received by the Pope, and subsequently by Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin.

Later in the morning, the European Parliament President is scheduled to meet with authorities of the Republic of Italy, including with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.

In the afternoon, the President of the European Parliament will speak at the event “The Legacy of De Gasperi: Europe and the Defense of Freedom,” to be held at the European Parliament’s offices in Piazza Venezia in the center of Rome.

Among the morning’s engagements was also a meeting between Metsola and the Grand Master of the Order of Malta, Fra’ John Dunlap, at the Magistral Palace in Rome. “The courtesy visit,” a statement explained, “provided an opportunity for an update on the activities of the Order of Malta, which are carried out in more than 130 countries around the world. The President expressed great appreciation for the humanitarian work carried out by the Order in complex situations such as Ukraine and Gaza.”