US Secretary of State Marco Rubio held a meeting with Pope Leo XIV on Thursday amid a historic period of tension between Washington and the Vatican.
The two discussed “the situation in the Middle East and topics of mutual interest in the Western Hemisphere,” according to brief readout of their meeting from the US State Department.
“The meeting underscored the strong relationship between the United States and the Holy See and their shared commitment to promoting peace and human dignity,” the readout said.
Rubio was inside the Apostolic Palace for more than two hours, according to the press pool on the ground. It is unclear how long the meeting with Leo lasted – the visit also was expected to include a meeting with other Vatican officials.
Rubio said prior to the meeting that he planned to discuss Cuba with the Pope. The Trump administration has distributed millions in humanitarian aid on the island through the Catholic Church.
Continue reading the complete article on the original source
