The Jordanian monarch King Abdullah II concluded his brief visit to Italy, where he met with President Sergio Mattarella and Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, culminating in a meeting with Pope Francis at the Vatican's apostolic palace. The meeting between the two men, who have shared a friendship for years, lasted approximately twenty minutes. Italian media, both visual and print, dedicated significant coverage to the Jordanian king's visit.
Following the meeting, Matteo Bruni, director of the Holy See Press Office, stated that the dialogue was characterized by warmth, noting that the friendship between the Holy Father and the Jordanian monarch dates back to their first meeting in 2014 during Pope Francis's apostolic visit to the Holy Land, which included a stop in the Jordanian capital, Amman.
As is customary, Pope Francis greeted the accompanying delegation at the end of the meeting and the two exchanged gifts. The Holy Father presented the Jordanian guest with a mosaic representing the blessing he gives in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, created in the Vatican's mosaic workshop, along with volumes containing the documents issued by Francis during his papacy, as well as his message for the 2024 World Day of Peace. The Jordanian monarch presented the Pope with a metal sculpture composed of Arabic letters.
Earlier, in March, King Abdullah II received Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, Secretary for Relations with States at the Vatican, in Al-Husseiniya Palace in Amman during his visit to Jordan. During that meeting, both sides reaffirmed the friendship between Pope Francis and the Jordanian king and highlighted the excellent diplomatic relations between the Holy See and Jordan, which have borne fruit through cooperation over the past thirty years and allowed for the growth of mutual trust. Both the Jordanian monarch and Gallagher expressed concern regarding the situation in Gaza, wishing for a ceasefire and emphasizing the necessity of assisting the Palestinian people. They also underscored the importance of respecting the status quo of the holy sites in Jerusalem, which is a sacred city for the three major monotheistic religions, especially during the month of Ramadan.
