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Irish PM (Taoiseach) Micheál Martin and his wife, Mary, were received by Pope Leo XIV for a private audience at the Vatican on Friday morning. The couple was greeted in the San Damaso Courtyard by the Prefect of the Papal Household, Petar Rajic, before the meeting began. The discussions were expected to cover the reconciliation process in Ireland as well as the ongoing international conflicts in Ukraine, Sudan, and the Middle East.
He was also expected to outline Ireland's plans for the forthcoming Presidency of the European Union, which begins on 1 July.
The meeting between the taoiseach and the Pope was expected to last up to 35 minutes.
The taoiseach said he was looking forward to the meeting, adding that he has "made peace a defining theme of his papacy".
"We share many common values - a belief in the importance of a rules-based international order, and dialogue and diplomacy as the only route to lasting peace," he said.
"I look forward to exchanging views with him on how we can work together to promote effective multilateralism as the best way to address our many challenges and bring an end to conflict.”
Speaking ahead of the meeting, the taoiseach said the "role of the church and clergy from all denominations was critical to bringing about peace on this island".
He said the meeting would also be an opportunity to "reflect" on Ireland's relationship with the Catholic Church, "including the deep pain and trauma of the survivors of clerical abuse and their needs".
The taoiseach will also have a bilateral meeting with the Holy See Cardinal Secretary of State, Pietro Parolin.
Afterwards, he will go to the Pontifical Irish College in Rome to meet members of the college community and view its archives.
Martin is to announce government funding to support the cataloguing, digitisation and preservation of the archive as part of the college's conservation, accessibility, and public outreach project to coincide with the visit.
Later on Friday, Martin is to meet Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
