Pope Leo XIV held talks with Prince Albert II at the Vatican on Saturday, where the two leaders found common ground on environmental protection and human rights.
The Prince was received in the private library of the Apostolic Palace for discussions that ranged from international affairs to the shared challenges facing both institutions.
During the meeting, Prince Albert extended an official invitation for the Pope to visit Monaco.
Alignment on key issues
According to the palace, the hour-long audience covered respect for life, family values and human dignity, alongside what both sides identified as priority concerns: peace and environmental protection.
Vatican officials said afterwards that the discussions revealed “a convergence of views” between the Holy See and Monaco on these issues.
The meeting comes as both Monaco and the Vatican have positioned themselves as vocal advocates for climate action, with Prince Albert II having long championed ocean conservation and the Pope having made environmental stewardship a cornerstone of his papacy.
Rare books and sacred art exchanged
Prince Albert presented Pope Leo XIV with a copy of Saint Augustine’s Confessions that once belonged to 19th-century French poet Alfred de Vigny, complete with Vigny’s handwritten notes in the margins.
The Pope gave Prince Albert a bas-relief of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, based on an icon attributed to Saint Luke.
Such exchanges are customary in papal audiences but the choice of gifts often carries symbolic weight, with both items reflecting themes of faith and reflection.
Bilateral talks continue
After his papal audience, Prince Albert met with Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s Secretary of State, for working-level discussions at the Secretariat of State.
Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, who handles the Vatican’s relations with nations and international bodies, joined the talks focused on bilateral cooperation between the two states.
Both sides described the Monaco-Vatican relationship as “excellent” during the meetings.
Monaco delegation
Prince Albert was accompanied by Lionel Beffre, Monaco’s Minister of the Interior, and Philippe Orengo, the principality’s Ambassador to the Holy See.
The Vatican side included Monsignor Simon Kassas, responsible for relations with French-speaking nations.
Saturday’s visit continues a long-standing diplomatic relationship between Monaco and the Vatican, with regular high-level exchanges between the two states.
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Photo credi: Vatican Média