Overview
- During an ornate ceremony at the Quirinal, Leo XIV thanked Italy for combating human trafficking and urged continued openness with constructive integration of migrants.
- He appealed for measures to counter Europe’s falling birth rate, emphasizing dignified work, protections for parents, and the central place of family in Italian society.
- Addressing global conflicts, he cited Ukraine and Gaza, urged attention to civilian suffering, promoted stronger multilateral solutions, and praised Italy’s care for wounded children from Gaza.
- President Sergio Mattarella hosted a private meeting with the pope before public addresses, with top officials including Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Ignazio La Russa, Lorenzo Fontana, and Giovanni Amoroso in attendance.
- The state program featured a motorcade from the Vatican with Corazzieri escorts, formal honors at the Quirinal, and a gift exchange that included a Vatican mosaic of the Colosseum and historic works presented by Mattarella.