Pope Francis met President of the Republic of Belarus, Aleksandr Lukashenko, Saturday in the Vatican.
According to a statement released by the Holy See Press Office, the discussions were cordial and expressed satisfaction for the good state of bilateral relations between Belarus and the Holy See.
«Various themes of mutual interest were considered,» it noted, «with particular reference to the life of the Church in Belarus and the peaceful co-existence between Catholic and Orthodox communities, and with other religious confessions, in the country.»
«Finally, the role played by the city of Minsk, which hosted recent discussions with the aim of seeking solutions for peace in the region, was underlined,» the statement concluded.
After meeting with the Pope, the president met with Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, accompanied by Vatican Secretary for Relations with States, Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher.
