Pope receives Costa at the Vatican this Friday

Pope Leo XIV received the President of the European Council, António Costa, this Friday. The meeting took place in the Vatican, at 12:30 p.m. (one hour less in Lisbon), according to the agenda published by the European Council on its website .

After the audience with the leader of the Catholic Church, the former Portuguese Prime Minister will meet with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in Rome, Italy. That meeting is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. this Friday, according to the agenda note also published on the European Council website.

Following the election of Leo XIV on 8 May, António Costa and Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, published a joint statement recalling the Church’s “enduring commitment to peace, human dignity and mutual understanding between nations” and expressing confidence that the new Pope would use “his voice on the world stage to promote these common values ​​and encourage unity in the search for a more just and compassionate world”, recalls the Ecclesia Agency .

“The European Union stands ready to work closely with the Holy See to address global challenges and cultivate a spirit of solidarity, respect and kindness,” the same text said.