Yesterday, Pope Francis received Aung San Suu Kyi, the Burmese Nobel Peace Laureate. According to a report by Vatican Radio, the Holy Father offered his support to her commitment towards democracy.
The Nobel laureate is visiting Europe and was made an honorary citizen of Rome on Sunday. The Burmese opposition leader was once a former political prisoner, serving 15 years in house arrest of the past 21 years.
Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, director of the Holy See Press Office, briefed journalists after the meeting, saying there was “a great feeling of harmony and accord between the Holy Father and this symbolic figure of the Asian world.”
While the Holy Father expressed his appreciation and support for Aung San Suu Kyi’s commitment to democracy, he did specify that there is no discrimination by the Church “which is at the service of all with its charitable works.”
Fr. Lombardi also stated that the Holy Father told the Nobel laureate his desire to visit the Asian continent.
