This morning, the Holy Father Francis received in audience, in the Vatican Apostolic Palace, His Excellency Nikos Christodoulides, President of the Republic of Cyprus, who subsequently met with His Eminence Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin, accompanied by the Reverend Msgr. Daniel Pacho, Under-Secretary for the Multilateral Sector of the Section for Relations with States and International Organizations.

During the cordial discussions, which took place at the Secretariat of State, appreciation was expressed for the positive bilateral relations, also highlighting some open questions regarding Church-State relations. Attention then turned to some current challenges in the country, including that of migrants.

This was followed by an exchange of views on the international situation, with particular attention to ongoing conflicts, including that in Israel and Palestine.

From the Vatican, 24 November 2023