Pope Francis received Jordanian King Abdullah II at the Vatican on Thursday. The ruler of the Hashemite Kingdom and Francis have known each other since 2014.
As the Vatican press office announced later, the meeting, which lasted about 20 minutes, was “very cordial.” The Vatican did not initially reveal the specific content of the conversation. In Rome, Abdullah also met with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni at Chigi Palace on Thursday.
Exchanging traditional gifts
After talking and welcoming the Jordanian delegation, traditional gifts were exchanged between the presidents of the two countries. Pope Francis presented King Abdullah with a mosaic from the Vatican Mosaic Workshop depicting the “Papal Blessing in St. Peter’s Square,” in addition to copies of various documents issued during his papacy, including Message on the occasion of World Peace Day 2024. In return, the Jordanian king presented the Pope with a metal sculpture made of Arabic letters.
Gift of Pope Francis: the work of the Vatican Mosaic Workshop
The Jordanian royal family considers itself the protector of Islamic and Christian shrines in Jerusalem. Jordan and the Holy See have maintained diplomatic relations since 1994.
The Pope and the Jordanian ruler have known each other for a long time
Francis and the ruler of the Hashemite Kingdom had known each other since the beginning of the Argentine pope's papacy. The first meeting took place in 2014 as part of Pope Francis' apostolic trip to the Holy Land, which also included a stay in the Jordanian capital, Amman.
(Vatican News/Cap-Sugar)
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