Pope Francis Receives Prime Minister of Grenada

Pope Francis today received Grenada's Prime Minister Keith Mitchell who was accompanied by his wife, son and mother.

The meeting between Mitchell and Pope Francis lasted 25 minutes in the library of the Vatican Apostolic Palace. Speaking through an interpreter, the Prime Minister invited the Pope to visit Grenada, which he assured “is a beautiful place to rest.”

The Holy Father give him and each of his family members a rosary, along with a copy of his Apostolic Exhortation, Evangelii Gaudium.

After posing for photos with them, Mitchell’s wife spoke with the Pope, bringing the Prime Minister to joke, “My wife has probably told him everything…”

According to a communique from the Holy See Press Office, “the parties focused on the good relations existing between the Holy See and Grenada, as well as the important contribution made by the Catholic Church in the educational, social, and charitable spheres, to meet the challenges of the country, especially with regard to youth.”

Following his meeting with the Pope, Prime Minister Mitchell met with Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin.

The small Caribbean island with a population of a little over 100,000 was discovered by Christopher Colombus. Conflict reigned in the territory between the Caribbean indigenous people and European colonizers. The island gained its independence in 1976.