France's Macron and Pope Leo XIV hold first meeting at the Vatican

Published on 10/04/2026 - 16:54 GMT+2

French President Emmanuel Macron and Pope Leo XIV held their archetypal gathering connected Friday, aligning successful their disapproval of US President Donald Trump's attack to the Iran warfare arsenic some leaders called for a diplomatic solution.

Macron and his woman Brigitte spent astir 2 hours astatine the Vatican, wherever talks with the pontiff focused connected the Middle East crisis, multilateralism, clime alteration and humanitarian emergencies, according to property agencies present.

The gathering comes arsenic some leaders person publically condemned Trump's handling of the Iran war.

Pope Leo XIV called Trump's threats against Iranian civilisation "unacceptable" earlier this week, portion Macron has accused the US president of fuelling instability with contradictory statements and assertive tones.

At the extremity of the meeting, the leaders exchanged gifts. Macron gave the pontiff a French nationalist hoops squad jersey and a publication connected the reconstruction of Notre Dame Cathedral aft the 2019 fire.

After his assemblage with the pope, Macron besides held talks with Secretary of State Pietro Parolin.

The gathering marks Macron's archetypal brushwood with Pope Leo XIV, the archetypal US-born pontiff, astir 1 twelvemonth aft his election.

No gathering with Meloni

Macron's sojourn to Rome notably excluded immoderate gathering with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. The Elysée defined the sojourn arsenic "republican and secular" with nary bilateral governmental meetings with the Italian authorities planned.

The past authoritative gathering betwixt Macron and Meloni took spot successful 2025, erstwhile the French president was received astatine Palazzo Chigi for a bilateral aimed astatine relaunching dialog aft months of tensions.

Macron's docket focused connected organization and spiritual engagements, peculiarly astatine the Vatican, with nary authoritative stops astatine authorities offices.

The past gathering betwixt Macron and Italian President Sergio Mattarella took spot connected 7 June 2023 astatine the Quirinale.

Macron's sojourn to Rome began connected Thursday with a halt astatine the Community of Sant'Egidio, wherever helium took portion successful a infinitesimal of recollection successful representation of Blessed Floribert Bwana Chui, a young Congolese antheral killed successful Goma successful 2007.

In the basilica of Santa Maria successful Trastevere, the president stood successful soundlessness successful the chapel that holds the overgarment worn by the young customs serviceman and unpaid astatine the clip of his death, aft opposing the transition of rotten nutrient destined for susceptible populations.

In the day connected Friday, Macron is expected to wage a backstage sojourn to the Vicariate of Rome and the Basilica of St John Lateran, of which helium is protocanonical according to a contented dating backmost to the clip of the kings of France.