This morning the Holy Father Francis received in audience at the Vatican Apostolic Palace the President of the French Republic, His Excellency Mr. Emmanuel Macron, who then met with His Eminence Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin, accompanied by His Excellency Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, Secretary for Relations with States.

During the cordial talks at the Secretariat of State, the existing good bilateral relations were emphasized, the centenary of which was recently celebrated, according to a statement released by the Vatican Press Office.

In the course of the talks, a number of international issues were discussed, including environmental protection in the light of the outcome of the recent COP26 in Glasgow. There was also an exchange of views on the prospects for the forthcoming French Presidency of the European Union, as well as France’s commitment in Lebanon, the Middle East, and Africa.

Pope Francis and President Macron spoke on the phone for 40 minutes on Sunday, March 21, 2021, according to a press release from the President’s Office at Élysée Palace.

The call, which was requested by the Pope, marked the fifth time the two world leaders have spoken since Macron’s election in 2017, according to Vatican News. The call came after President Macron sent the Pope a message on the occasion of the 8th anniversary of his election to the papacy. The last the two leaders spoke was October 30, 2020, after the attacks on the Cathedral of Nice, which killed three people.