Communique of the Holy See Press Office

This morning, the Holy Father Francis received in audience the President of the Council of Ministers ad interim of the Lebanese Republic, His Excellency Mr. Najib Mikati, who went on to meet with His Eminence Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin, accompanied by His Excellency Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, Secretary for Relations with States and International Organizations.

During the cordial meeting, which took place at the Secretariat of State, the importance of the good diplomatic relations that exist between the Holy See and Lebanon was emphasized, as well as the importance of the contribution of the Catholic Church and the Christian component to the good of the country. Furthermore, the socio-economic situation in the Land of the Cedars, also marked by the prolonged absence of the election of the President of the Republic, was addressed.

In expressing satisfaction for the ceasefire reached in the south of the country, the hope was reiterated that the peaceful coexistence of different religions would continue to characterize Lebanon’s identity, and be of help and support to peace in the Middle East.

Exchange of gifts

The traditional exchange of gifts marked the conclusion of the audience, which lasted for about 20 minutes. In addition to a volume of papal documents and an Arabic translation of this year's Message for Peace, Pope Francis presented Mr. Mikati with a bronze statue representing his teaching, "Let us not forget that in both family and social culture, the elderly are like the roots of a tree: they have all the history there, and the young are like the flowers and the fruit."

The sculpture depicts a young man reaching down and grasping the hand of an elderly man lying on the ground. A description of the artwork explains, "The contrast in ages between the two characters symbolizes the passage of wisdom, support, and mutual help between the generations emphasizing the importance of unity and mutual understanding between young and old"; while the background, "a landscape illuminated by a radiant sun" evokes "a sense of hope in renewal".

For his part, Mr. Mikati presented Pope Francis an icon of the Nativity created by a priest from Antonine University.