Pope Leo’s Conversation with Emmanuel Macron on Middle East Peace
Pope Leo XIV and Emmanuel Macron, President of France, held consultations at the Vatican on global crises and particularly the Middle East conflict.
At the Vatican, a private meeting took place between Pope Leo XIV and Emmanuel Macron, President of France, with the main focus being an examination of developments and ongoing conflicts in the Middle East. This meeting, which took place on Friday, April 10, is considered the first official visit between the leader of Catholics worldwide and the President of France since the beginning of the new Pope’s term.
Macron, along with his wife Brigitte Macron, was received at the Apostolic Palace in the Vatican and then had a private conversation with the Pope that lasted approximately one hour; a duration that observers assessed as longer than the usual protocol for diplomatic visits at the Vatican.
Before this meeting, sources close to the French presidency office had announced that the main focus of this visit would be discussions with the spiritual leader of over one billion Catholics about ways to “resolve the Middle East crisis.” Both sides had previously emphasized in their public positions the necessity of ending wars and strengthening diplomatic channels.
Following the conclusion of the meeting, the French President expressed satisfaction on the social network X and wrote: “We share a common belief: in the face of the world’s divisions, working for peace is a duty and a necessity.”
On the other hand, the Vatican also announced in its official statement: “Pope Leo XIV discussed global conflicts with the President of France and expressed hope that peaceful coexistence will be restored through dialogue and negotiation.”
On the sidelines of this meeting, informal and cordial moments were also recorded. Based on images released by the Vatican, Emmanuel Macron presented the Pope with a signed shirt from members of the French national basketball team; an action that gave the formal setting of the meeting a more friendly atmosphere.
This conversation is assessed as a continuation of relatively close relations between the President of France and the Vatican. In previous years, Macron had also met several times with former Pope Francis, and in those meetings discussed global crises, the role of religions in peace, and moral and humanitarian issues.
