Germany at the Vatican

This morning, the Holy Father, Pope Francis received in audience in the Vatican Apostolic Palace the Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany, Her Excellency Angela Merkel, who subsequently met with His Eminence, the Cardinal Secretary of State, Pietro Parolin; accompanied by His Excellency, Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, Secretary for Relations with States.

During the cordial discussions, and in view of the upcoming G7 Summit to be held in Bavaria, special attention was paid to various questions of an International nature, with particular reference to the struggle against poverty and hunger; the exploitation of human beings and the rights of women; and the challenges of promoting world health and the protection of Creation. The themes of human rights and religious freedoms in various parts of the world were also considered, emphasizing the importance of spiritual values for social cohesion.

Finally, the Parties considered the situation in Europe, underlining in particular the commitment to reaching a peaceful solution to the conflict in Ukraine.