CWN - Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Pope Francis at the Vatican on November 25. The quest for peace in Syria topped the agenda during their 35-minute conversation.
A brief Vatican statement released after the Monday-afternoon meeting said that the Pope and Putin had spoken “the good existing bilateral relations” between Moscow and the Holy See, the situation facing Catholics in Russia, and the defense of human rights, human life, and the family.
The Vatican indicated that “special attention was paid to the pursuit of peace in the Middle East and the grave situation in Syria.” The Pope and Putin agreed on the urgency of ending the conflict in Syria and supplying humanitarian aid for refugees and others who have suffered during the conflict.
Putin has sought to enhance his standing as a champion of the rights of Christians in the Middle East and a defender of faith in his own country. He made a public display of his respect for Christianity during his meeting with the Pontiff. During a formal exchange of gifts, Putin presented the Pope with icon of Our Lady of Vladimir; when the Pope kissed the icon, Putin did the same. The Russian leader was meeting with Pope Francis at the Vatican for the first time. He had previously met twice with Pope John Paul II and once with Pope Benedict XVI.
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