Emmanuel Macron will meet Pope Francis in Rome on October 24

According to diplomatic sources, Emmanuel Macron should be received on October 24 by Pope Francis at the Vatican. This will be the third meeting between the French head of state and the Argentine pontiff.

The French president will meet Pope Francis on October 24 in Rome, where he is also due to participate in an international forum on peace, we learned on Tuesday from diplomatic sources and the Sant'Egidio community.

Emmanuel Macron should be received in private audience by Pope Francis at the Vatican, the day after his participation in this inter-religious summit organized by this Italian Catholic community known to be one of the channels of "shadow diplomacy". of the Holy See.

This meeting between the two men, which has not been confirmed at this stage by the Elysée, would be the third after those of 2018 and 2021.

Emmanuel Macron will also meet his Italian counterpart Sergio Mattarella during a private dinner, in the context of the formation of the new government led by Giorgia Meloni, president of the post-fascist party Fratelli d'Italia, which won the legislative elections of September 25, we learned from concordant sources.

The lay community Sant'Egidio confirmed on Tuesday the presence of the French president on October 23 at the opening of its annual international meeting in the presence of political and religious leaders from around the world.

“The summit will begin on Sunday 23, at the Rome Congress Center and will be inaugurated with speeches by the President of the Republic, Sergio Mattarella, and the French President, Emmanuel Macron, as well as the President of the Italian Bishops' Conference, Cardinal Matteo Zuppi. The following days, the President of Niger, Mohamed Bazoum, the Chief Rabbi of France and the Secretary General of the Islamic League will also be present. »

A meeting entitled “The Cry of Peace” which will notably address the war in Ukraine.

“After months of conflict in Ukraine, bombings, deaths and refugees in search of safety, Italy is organizing a meeting between political and religious representatives in Rome, promoted by the Community of Sant'Egidio. »

"Peace and the urgency of building it, as well as the environmental and humanitarian crisis, with thousands of refugees forced to leave their lands, will be the themes addressed," Sant'Egidio said in a statement.

It will close with a rally on October 25 at the Colosseum, in the presence of Pope Francis.

“The Holy Father will take part in the prayer meeting for peace,” said announced Marco Impagliazzo, president of the Community of Sant'Egidio.

“We know that the theme, both on the Russian side and on the Ukrainian side, is that of victory. For us, the real victory is peace. War is tragic, it is terrible and demonstrating for peace does not justify any imperialist policy, but is only the expression of the desire of peoples who want to live in peace,” he added.

Nicknamed "the little UN of Trastevere" (from the name of the district of Rome where it is located), Sant'Egidio, founded in 1968 by Catholic students around Andrea Riccardi, has become over the years an expert in peace negotiations. and in international mediation.

Since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, Pope Francis has multiplied the calls to prayer for peace. Sunday, October 9, he once again mentioned the war in Ukraine and in particular the nuclear threat hanging over Europe following the Russian invasion. He urged the world to learn from history and choose the path of peace.

Faced with the danger of nuclear war, we are learning the lessons of history. Already 60 years ago, there were great tensions, but the peaceful path was chosen. As the Bible says, "Learn from the paths of the past, where the right road is, tread it."

- Pope Francis (@Pontifex_fr) October 9, 2022

Camille Westphal Perrier (with AFP)

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