Pope Francis welcomed the German leader Angela Merkel in the Vatican where the two leaders have discussed the environmental issue.
For Angela Merkel, the daughter of a Lutheran pastor, the farewell visit to Italy was marked with visiting the Vatican where the outgoing German chancellor spoke to the pontiff about climate change, the sexual abuse of children by Catholic clergy, and the armed conflicts.
German politician, Pope Francis and Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi met on Thursday and discussed the wide range of issues like terrorism, environmentalism, wars, climate change and child abuse within the Catholic Church. The 45-minute audience at the Vatican’s Apostolic Palace became the last in the political career of 67-year-old Ms Merkel.
“Humanity’s response to climate change will require a radical change in our way of living,” the outgoing Chancellor said during the press conference.
This week, the head of the Roma Catholic Church joined dozens of religious leaders in appealing for next month’s UN Climate Change Conference COP26 in Glasgow to come up with concrete solutions to safeguard the planet.
The 84-year-old pontiff gifted Merkel copies of some of his writings and a miniature replica of the bronze Holy Door of St. Peter’s Basilica. Frau Merkel presented Pope Francis with a book on Michelangelo and a three-volume collection about the gospels.
