Overview

• The over-30-minute meeting at the Palazzo Apostolico exceeded the standard half-hour protocol for PM audiences.
• Pope Leo XIV and Prime Minister Meloni discussed ongoing wars in Ukraine and the crisis in Gaza, emphasizing shared peace efforts.
• Meloni’s subsequent session with Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin reviewed bilateral ties and state–church cooperation.
• The private audience concluded with a controlled photo opportunity in the Vatican library and no press attendance.
• Officials say the encounter paves the way for cooperation on worker participation, drug dependence and traditional family values.