AP,Vatican City :
The situation in Syria, Venezuela and Ukraine was among the topics of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s 50-minute meeting with Pope Francis, the Holy See said in a press office communique on Thursday.
The sides “turned their attention to various questions of relevance to the life of the Catholic Church in Russia,” the communiques said. Apart from that, they focused on current issues of international politics, such as the situation in Syria, Venezuela and Ukraine.
“During the cordial discussions, both Parties expressed their satisfaction at the development of bilateral relations, further strengthened by the protocol of understanding signed today regarding the collaboration between the “Bambino Gesu” Paediatric Hospital and the paediatric hospitals of the Russian Federation. They then turned their attention to various questions of relevance to the life of the Catholic Church in Russia,” the press office said.
Putin and Pope Francis also touched upon environmental problems.
The Russian president also had talks with His Eminence Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin, and His Excellency Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, Secretary for Relations with States.
At the end of the 55-minute private meeting, Alessandro Gisotti, interim director of the Vatican press office, issued a statement describing the discussions as “cordial.”
The pope and president, he said, “expressed their satisfaction at the development of bilateral relations,” which included the signing in Rome July 4 of a collaboration agreement between the Vatican’s Bambino Gesu Pediatric Hospital and pediatric hospitals in Russia.
Francis and Putin “then turned their attention to various questions of relevance to the life of the Catholic Church in Russia,” Gisotti said, as well as a discussion of “the ecological question and various themes relating to current international affairs, with particular reference to Syria, Ukraine and Venezuela,” where Russia has been supportive of embattled President Nicolas Maduro.
It was the third time Francis and Putin have met at the Vatican. They met in November 2013 and again in June 2015. Putin arrived late for each of the meetings, including July 4 when he was an hour late.
When reporters entered the room after the two had met privately, Putin told the pope, “Thank you for the time you have dedicated to me.”
The situation in Syria, Venezuela and Ukraine was among the topics of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s 50-minute meeting with Pope Francis, the Holy See said in a press office communique on Thursday.
The sides “turned their attention to various questions of relevance to the life of the Catholic Church in Russia,” the communiques said. Apart from that, they focused on current issues of international politics, such as the situation in Syria, Venezuela and Ukraine.
“During the cordial discussions, both Parties expressed their satisfaction at the development of bilateral relations, further strengthened by the protocol of understanding signed today regarding the collaboration between the “Bambino Gesu” Paediatric Hospital and the paediatric hospitals of the Russian Federation. They then turned their attention to various questions of relevance to the life of the Catholic Church in Russia,” the press office said.
Putin and Pope Francis also touched upon environmental problems.
The Russian president also had talks with His Eminence Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin, and His Excellency Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, Secretary for Relations with States.
At the end of the 55-minute private meeting, Alessandro Gisotti, interim director of the Vatican press office, issued a statement describing the discussions as “cordial.”
The pope and president, he said, “expressed their satisfaction at the development of bilateral relations,” which included the signing in Rome July 4 of a collaboration agreement between the Vatican’s Bambino Gesu Pediatric Hospital and pediatric hospitals in Russia.
Francis and Putin “then turned their attention to various questions of relevance to the life of the Catholic Church in Russia,” Gisotti said, as well as a discussion of “the ecological question and various themes relating to current international affairs, with particular reference to Syria, Ukraine and Venezuela,” where Russia has been supportive of embattled President Nicolas Maduro.
It was the third time Francis and Putin have met at the Vatican. They met in November 2013 and again in June 2015. Putin arrived late for each of the meetings, including July 4 when he was an hour late.
When reporters entered the room after the two had met privately, Putin told the pope, “Thank you for the time you have dedicated to me.”
