It was a busy time for His Holiness Pope Francis following the visits of two heads of state recently.

First to storm the Vatican was Nigeria’s President Goodluck Jonathan who was accompanied by his wife Patience and other top government officials. That was on Saturday, March 22.

On Thursday, March 27, President Barak Obama of the United States of America took his turn. Both heads of State were visiting Pope Francis for the first time.

Reports say President Jonathan and‎ Pope Francis held extensive discussion on Nigeria’s position on same-sex marriage which was recently outlawed in the country.

The  Executive Secretary of Nigeria Christian Pilgrims Commission, Kennedy Opara, disclosed this to journalists at the Holy Sea after President Jonathan’s audience with the Pope as well as his tour of the Vatican City.

Opara, according to the report, said the president used the opportunity to state Nigeria’s position on same sex-marriage while the Pope commended Jonathan’s effort in tackling the various challenges facing the country.

Nigerian residents in Italy were also in the Vatican City to join President Jonathan in the Papal audience.

President Barack Obama’s first visit to Pope Francis on Thursday March 27 was filled with much symbolism, with the two exchanging gifts and smiles amid pomp and circumstance at the apostolic palace.

Topics discussed, according to reports includes: religious freedom, conscientious objection and immigration reform.

It was the second visit to a pope for the president, who previously visited Pope Benedict XVI in 2009.

Analysts and observers before Thursday’s meeting had speculated over whether Pope Francis might bring up sticky issues during the event, like the U.S. bishops’ opposition to parts of the federal health care reform law or Francis’ own reservations about free-market capitalism or use of the U.S. military abroad.

In a statement following the meeting, the Vatican press office said it had been a “cordial” event with a particular focus on “current international themes” and “questions of particular relevance for the Church” in the United States.

Discussion, the press office said, included, “the exercise of the rights to religious freedom, life and conscientious objection, as well as the issue of immigration reform.”

Arriving at the Vatican with his motorcade at about 10:15 a.m. Rome time, Obama was led by Archbishop Georg Ganswein, prefect of the pontifical household, through the Vatican’s frescoed loggia to his meeting with the pope.

“Wonderful meeting you,” the president greeted Francis. “Thank you, sir, thank you.”

“It is a great honor. I’m a great admirer,” Obama continued. “Thank you so much for receiving me.”

The pope and president then sat down together for a private meeting which lasted  for 54 minutes, an unusually long meeting by papal standards. Afterward, the two exchanged gifts. Obama gave Francis a custom-made seed chest featuring fruit and vegetable seeds used in the White House garden.

In return, the pope gave the president two medallions, one of which symbolized solidarity and peace between the northern and southern hemispheres.

Francis also gave Obama a copy of his apostolic exhortation, Evangelii Gaudium (“The Joy of the Gospel”).

Obama was joined in his visit by Secretary of State John Kerry, a Catholic, and Ken Hackett, the U.S. ambassador to the Holy See.

The president had earlier lavished praise on the Pope, telling the newspaper Corriere della Sera: “The Holy Father has inspired the peoples of the entire world – and me too – with his commitment to social justice and his message of love and compassion, especially for people who are the poorest and most vulnerable among us.”

Obama added: “He doesn’t just proclaim the gospel. He lives it.”

He said: “We know that, given his great moral authority, when the pope speaks, his words have an enormous weight.”

While skipping a question about their differences over abortion and contraception – “one of the qualities I most admire in the Holy Father is his courage in not mincing his words” – the president tried to keep the focus on their common interest in tackling poverty and hunger.

 

Comments

comments