VATICAN CITY (Reuters): Pope Leo and United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio "renewed the shared commitment" for good bilateral relations between the US and the Vatican in their meeting on Thursday (May 7), says a Vatican statement.
Leo, the first US pope, met with Rubio amid an atmosphere of tension between Washington and the Vatican following President Donald Trump's repeated attacks on the Catholic leader over the Iran war.
Dureing their meeting, the two also discussed the world situation and the need to "work tirelessly for peace", the statement added.
A Vatican video earlier showed Leo shaking hands with his guest and addressing him formally as "Mr Secretary", to which Rubio, a Catholic, responded: "Great to see you."
The two then sat down together at the pope's official desk in the Apostolic Palace.
Rubio spent 2-and-a-half hours at the Vatican before driving away in a convoy under tight security. He also met with senior Vatican officials, including top diplomat Italian Cardinal Pietro Parolin.
The US embassy to the Holy See said on X that Leo and Rubio had discussed "topics of mutual interest in the Western Hemisphere". - Reuters
