VATICAN CITY: Pope Francis received Zuzana Caputova, the President of the Slovak Republic, in audience at the Vatican on Monday.
Following the audience with the Pope, Caputova met Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, the Vatican’s Secretary for Relations with States.
In a statement following the audience, the Holy See Press Office said, “During the cordial discussions in the Secretariat of State, appreciation was expressed for the good existing bilateral relations, with the hope that they may be further strengthened in the field of education, and with regard to the role of the Church in society.”
The statement also noted that “issues of mutual interest, such as the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, social justice and the protection of creation,” were also discussed.
A Slovenian Christmas tree, a spruce from the Kočevsko forests, has been lit up in all its beauty today in St Peter’s Square in the Vatican. The tree is decorated with handmade ethnographic ornaments. The keynote speaker at the event was Dr Anže Logar, Minister of Foreign Affairs.
In his address, Minister Logar noted that this is the second time a Christmas tree from Slovenia has adorned St Peter’s Square. The first time was in 1996. He emphasised that the execution of such a project during the very difficult times that we are experiencing now proved that it can be done. There is much symbolism in the event; the Slovenian Christmas tree lights up the central Vatican square as we head into 2021, the year which marks the thirtieth anniversary of Slovenia’s independence. Minister Logar highlighted that the Holy See was one of the first to officially recognise the young Slovenian state. The then Pope John Paul II supported Slovenia’s efforts for independence even before that.
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