Pope Francis and Argentine President Javier Millais, who called the pope a “fool” and a “representative of evil” during last year's election campaign, had an hour-long “very good, very friendly” conversation in the Vatican's private library. The morning of February 12th at Sado Palace. It was the first in-depth conversation the two had had together and hinted at good things about their future relationship, but as is typical when receiving heads of state and the Pope, the Vatican did not reveal what they discussed. .
A Vatican source familiar with my wife, Elisabetta Pique, Rome correspondent for Argentina's leading daily newspaper La Nación, said it was a “very good, very friendly” meeting. As can be seen in the photo released by Vatican Media, friendliness was also visible in the gestures of the two men. This visit was longer than Pope Francis's meetings with the three previous Argentine presidents he has welcomed at the Vatican since 2013.
The Vatican welcomed Mr. Millais with all the honors befitting an official state visit, including an honor guard of 12 members of the Swiss Guard, a red carpet and an official welcome by Monsignor Leonardo Sapienza, who represents the papal family and escorts the president. To Francis' private library.
USA We learned that the Pope listened carefully as the new president, an outsider to Argentina's political circles, spoke about the situation in Argentina and the uphill struggle for reform. The South American country of 46 million people is rich in natural resources but faces a serious economic crisis. 40% of the population lives in poverty and inflation is over 200%. (His first attempt at reform was rejected by Congress last week after a nationwide strike.)
Pope Francis and Argentine President Javier Millais, who called the pope a “fool” during last year's election campaign, had a “very good, very friendly” conversation for an hour.
According to sources, the president invited Pope Francis to his home country for the third time. Pope Francis has made it clear that he would like to visit Argentina again, but a visit to Argentina will not be scheduled as he has already planned a long-distance trip to Indonesia, Singapore, East Timor and Papua New Guinea in late August. Last quarter of the year. He has yet to give any indication that this will happen.
At the end of the private conversation, President Millay introduced the delegation to the Pope, starting with his sister Carina Millais, the President's Secretary-General, in accordance with Vatican protocol. Minister of Foreign Affairs Diana Mondino; Other government ministers and the new Argentine ambassador to Israel, Jewish Rabbi Axel Wahnish, are also Mr. Millay's spiritual advisors and mentors.
These introductions were followed by an exchange of gifts. President Millet presented to the Pope, among other things, a copy of the 1854 document accrediting an Argentine diplomat to the Pope, Argentine mail commemorating the beatification of Mama Antula in 2016, and a box of dulce de leche. caramel cookies (A type of toffee cookie) Lemon biscuits, the Pope's favorite. Pope Francis presented the president with a medal inspired by Baldacchino, placed on the main altar of St. Peter's Basilica and on top of Francis' major writings as pope and this year's peace message.
At the end of the papal audience, Francis said goodbye to Millais, and the president and his entourage were escorted to the Secretary of State, where they met Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin and Secretary for Foreign Affairs Archbishop Paul Gallagher. States and international organizations. They spoke again for about an hour, after which the president and his group visited the ornate rooms of the Vatican and toured the Sistine Chapel.
The Vatican issued a press release after the president left the city-state just before noon. “During the cordial discussions held at the State Department,” he said, “he expressed appreciation for the good relations between the Holy See and the Argentine Republic and the willingness to further strengthen them.” They said it “referenced the new government's program to respond to the economic crisis,” without providing further information about the program itself. The Vatican press release said they continued to discuss “a variety of topics of an international nature, especially ongoing conflicts and the commitment to peace among nations.”
USA We have learned that Mr. Millais has suggested the name of a career diplomat that Argentina wants the Vatican to approve as the new ambassador to the Holy See. The last ambassador, María Fernanda Silva, returned to Buenos Aires a week before the president arrived in Rome.
The Argentine president spent three days in Israel (February 6-9) and met with President Isaac Herzog and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a visit to the Vatican. During his visit, Mr. Milais expressed full support for the Jewish state and condemned the October 7 attack by Hamas. He also shared his intention to declare Hamas a terrorist organization and his decision to move the Argentine embassy to West Jerusalem. He prayed by candlelight at the Western Wall on the Temple Mount, known as the Western Wall, and at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, where Jesus was crucified and resurrected.
His visit to the Vatican has generated enormous interest, given that Mr. Maillay, an economist who describes himself as an anarcho-capitalist, has insulted Pope Francis in numerous ways during the campaign. He accused the Pope of being a leftist and preaching communism, calling his support for social justice an “aberration,” calling him “always on the side of evil” in the economic field, and calling him a “social justice idiot.” However, ahead of the second round of the Argentine presidential election, Mr. Millet showed repentance, saying, “If I have to ask that person for forgiveness, I will do so.” I also invite him to Argentina. We will welcome him with all honors.”
Francis, on the other hand, dismissed the insults as campaign rhetoric, and two days after Millay was elected, the pope called him. It was reported that the two people had a conversation for the first time, and the conversation went well. Francis praised his “courage” in seeking the presidency and urged people to pray for the “wisdom” to do it.
The first time the two met was on the morning of Sunday, February 11th. Before presiding over the canonization of Argentina's first female saint, Mama Antula, Francis briefly greeted her near the memorial to Pope Leo I in St. Peter's Basilica.
At the end of the mass, Francis, sitting in a wheelchair, greeted Mr. Millais with a big smile and wittily said, “I got a haircut!” The president, somewhat embarrassed, responded, “Can I kiss you?” Then Francis said, “Yes, son. Yes!” The president then bent down and gave Argentina's first pope a warm hug. “It was really nice to meet you,” the pope said. “Thank you for coming, my half. [Jewish], God bless you!” (Mr. Mirei has stated that he is thinking of becoming Jewish and that he has a Jewish rabbi as a mentor; however, he has said that he will not become Jewish while serving as president.)
President Millet visited the Vatican on Monday morning and met with Italian President Sergio Mattarella and Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni before departing for Buenos Aires this evening.