Vatican City, Oct 9, 2017 / 08:05 am
On Monday Pope Francis met German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier at the Vatican for a conversation focused largely on migration and ecumenical dialogue in the country in light of the Reformation anniversary.
According to an Oct. 9 Vatican communique, discussion between the Pope and Steinmeier, elected in February, touched on the "good relations and fruitful collaboration" between Germany and the Holy See, and emphasis was placed on the "positive interreligious and ecumenical dialogue" in the country.
Special mention was made of the relationship between Catholics and Protestants in light of the 500th anniversary of the Reformation, which Pope Francis marked at the end of October 2016 with a trip to Sweden for a joint-commemoration of the event with Lutheran Church leaders in the country.
Discussion also turned to the topics of both the economic and religious status of Europe, and the world as a whole. Particular emphasis was placed on the issue of migration and "the promotion of a culture of acceptance and solidarity."