CWN - Pope Francis received Macedonian President Gjorge Ivanov in audience at the Apostolic Palace on October 31.
Ivanov is president of the Republic of Macedonia, a nation sometimes known the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia in order to distinguish it from the Greek region of Macedonia.
According to the Holy See Press Office, the Pontiff and the Macedonian president expressed “their hope for the realization of the country’s aspirations and increasing efforts to join the European Union” and “recognized the importance of further encouraging the coexistence of and dialogue between the various ethnic and religious groups” in the nation, which is 65% Eastern Orthodox and 33% Muslim.
The two also discussed political, economic, and social issues, including the European refugee crisis.
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