Vatican City, 21 May 2016 – This morning the Holy Father Francis received in audience, in the Vatican Apostolic Palace, the president of the Republic of Belarus Aleksandr Lukashenko, who subsequently met with Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin, accompanied by Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, secretary for Relations with States.

During the cordial discussions, satisfaction was expressed for the good state of bilateral relations and various themes of mutual interest were considered, 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.