VATICAN CITY — U.S. Vice President Mike Pence met with Pope Francis at the Vatican on Friday, discussing the anti-abortion march in Washington and telling the pontiff, "You made me a hero" back home by granting him a private audience.
The
pope and the vice president had a private hour-long conversation. Pence
was beaming after the meeting, which appeared to be particularly
cordial.
The hero description apparently referred to Pence's Roman Catholic family upbringing. He later became an evangelical Christian.
Trump had a private audience with Francis at the Vatican in 2017, and
on Friday in Washington, the U.S. president was attending an
anti-abortion rally in Washington. Trump is the first sitting U.S.
president to do so in the history of the annual March for Life’s
history.
Pence's office said the march in the U.S. capital was
among the topics discussed with the pontiff. Catholic church teaching
forbids abortion, and Pence himself has been staunchly anti-abortion.
In Friday's interview, Pence also praised Francis for his “passion for the sanctity of life.”
Francis smiled warmly throughout the traditional exchange of gifts at
the end of the audience. Pence presented the pope with a large, plain
wooden cross made from a tree on the grounds of his official residence
in Washington.
Francis gave Pence five bound books of his writings
as pope. The pontiff then pointed to a large white envelope,
explaining, “this is a message of peace.” Francis was referring to an
annual message to promote peace issued by the Vatican.
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