{"id":53901,"date":"2025-12-15T19:14:12","date_gmt":"2025-12-15T18:14:12","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/?p=53901"},"modified":"2025-12-15T19:14:12","modified_gmt":"2025-12-15T18:14:12","slug":"prime-minister-robert-abela-meets-with-his-holiness-pope-leo-xiv","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/index.php\/2025\/12\/15\/prime-minister-robert-abela-meets-with-his-holiness-pope-leo-xiv\/","title":{"rendered":"Prime Minister Robert Abela meets with His Holiness Pope Leo XIV"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Prime Minister Robert Abela met with His Holiness Pope Leo XIV in the library of the Apostolic Palace in the Vatican on Monday. This visit commemorates the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Malta and the Holy See.<\/p>\n<p>The establishment of diplomatic relations between Malta and the Holy See, on 15 December 1965, reflects the values \u200b\u200bof our country and the mutual respect between the Holy See and Malta, based on our common principles of peace and human dignity.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_53904\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-53904\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/PR252257b.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-53904\" src=\"http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/PR252257b-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" srcset=\"http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/PR252257b-300x200.jpg 300w, http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/PR252257b-150x100.jpg 150w, http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/PR252257b.jpg 450w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-53904\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Prime Minister Robert Abela and his family meet His Holiness Pope Leo XIV<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>During the meeting, the Pope and Prime Minister Robert Abela acknowledged the strong relations between the two sides based on shared values \u200b\u200band a commitment to the common good.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Malta remains committed to strengthening its relationship with the Holy See, based on mutual respect, shared values, and a common vision for human dignity,&#8221; Dr Abela said.<\/p>\n<p>They also discussed various topics including working towards peace in a time of geopolitical challenges, as well as civil rights, climate change and the need for a global solution to the challenge of immigration.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;The humanitarian situation in Gaza remains very critical. Malta supports all efforts to allow unhindered access to humanitarian aid, as well as the protection of people, also in accordance with international law. As Malta has recognised the State of Palestine, we now look forward to the realisation of the two-state solution, where Israel and Palestine live side by side in peace,&#8221; said Prime Minister Abela.<\/p>\n<p>At the end of the meeting, Prime Minister Robert Abela presented His Holiness the Pope with a painting depicting Saint Augustine, painted by the artist John Martin Borg. In the background of the painting is the Augustinian Church of St. Mark and the convent of the Augustinian monks located in Rabat Malta. This represents the universal Church. Dr Abela also presented artisanal gifts made from Gozitan products.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_53903\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-53903\" style=\"width: 263px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/PR252257c.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-53903\" src=\"http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/PR252257c-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"263\" height=\"175\" srcset=\"http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/PR252257c-300x200.jpg 300w, http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/PR252257c-150x100.jpg 150w, http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/PR252257c.jpg 450w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 263px) 100vw, 263px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-53903\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Robert Abela with the Vatican Secretary of State, His Eminence Cardinal Pietro Parolin<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>During the visit to the Vatican, the Prime Minister also held discussions with the Vatican Secretary of State, His Eminence Cardinal Pietro Parolin, where he was also accompanied by the Maltese Ambassador to the Holy See, Frank Zammit.<\/p>\n<div class=\"pvc_clear\"><\/div>\n<p id=\"pvc_stats_53901\" class=\"pvc_stats all  \" data-element-id=\"53901\" style=\"\"><i class=\"pvc-stats-icon medium\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" version=\"1.0\" viewBox=\"0 0 502 315\" preserveAspectRatio=\"xMidYMid meet\"><g transform=\"translate(0,332) scale(0.1,-0.1)\" fill=\"\" stroke=\"none\"><path d=\"M2394 3279 l-29 -30 -3 -207 c-2 -182 0 -211 15 -242 39 -76 157 -76 196 0 15 31 17 60 15 243 l-3 209 -33 29 c-26 23 -41 29 -80 29 -41 0 -53 -5 -78 -31z\"\/><path d=\"M3085 3251 c-45 -19 -58 -50 -96 -229 -47 -217 -49 -260 -13 -295 52 -53 146 -42 177 20 16 31 87 366 87 410 0 70 -86 122 -155 94z\"\/><path d=\"M1751 3234 c-13 -9 -29 -31 -37 -50 -12 -29 -10 -49 21 -204 19 -94 39 -189 45 -210 14 -50 54 -80 110 -80 34 0 48 6 76 34 21 21 34 44 34 59 0 14 -18 113 -40 219 -37 178 -43 195 -70 221 -36 32 -101 37 -139 11z\"\/><path d=\"M1163 3073 c-36 -7 -73 -59 -73 -102 0 -56 133 -378 171 -413 34 -32 83 -37 129 -13 70 36 67 87 -16 290 -86 209 -89 214 -129 231 -35 14 -42 15 -82 7z\"\/><path d=\"M3689 3066 c-15 -9 -33 -30 -42 -48 -48 -103 -147 -355 -147 -375 0 -98 131 -148 192 -74 13 15 57 108 97 206 80 196 84 226 37 273 -30 30 -99 39 -137 18z\"\/><path d=\"M583 2784 c-38 -19 -67 -74 -58 -113 9 -42 211 -354 242 -373 16 -10 45 -18 66 -18 51 0 107 52 107 100 0 39 -1 41 -124 234 -80 126 -108 162 -133 173 -41 17 -61 16 -100 -3z\"\/><path d=\"M4250 2784 c-14 -9 -74 -91 -133 -183 -95 -150 -107 -173 -107 -213 0 -55 33 -94 87 -104 67 -13 90 8 211 198 130 202 137 225 78 284 -27 27 -42 34 -72 34 -22 0 -50 -8 -64 -16z\"\/><path d=\"M2275 2693 c-553 -48 -1095 -270 -1585 -649 -135 -104 -459 -423 -483 -476 -23 -49 -22 -139 2 -186 73 -142 361 -457 571 -626 285 -228 642 -407 990 -497 242 -63 336 -73 660 -74 310 0 370 5 595 52 535 111 1045 392 1455 803 122 121 250 273 275 326 19 41 19 137 0 174 -41 79 -309 363 -465 492 -447 370 -946 591 -1479 653 -113 14 -422 18 -536 8z m395 -428 c171 -34 330 -124 456 -258 112 -119 167 -219 211 -378 27 -96 24 -300 -5 -401 -72 -255 -236 -447 -474 -557 -132 -62 -201 -76 -368 -76 -167 0 -236 14 -368 76 -213 98 -373 271 -451 485 -162 444 86 934 547 1084 153 49 292 57 452 25z m909 -232 c222 -123 408 -262 593 -441 76 -74 138 -139 138 -144 0 -16 -233 -242 -330 -319 -155 -123 -309 -223 -461 -299 l-81 -41 32 46 c18 26 49 83 70 128 143 306 141 649 -6 957 -25 52 -61 116 -79 142 l-34 47 45 -20 c26 -10 76 -36 113 -56z m-2057 25 c-40 -58 -105 -190 -130 -263 -110 -324 -59 -707 132 -981 25 -35 42 -64 37 -64 -19 0 -241 119 -326 174 -188 122 -406 314 -532 468 l-58 71 108 103 c185 178 428 349 672 473 66 33 121 60 123 61 2 0 -10 -19 -26 -42z\"\/><path d=\"M2375 1950 c-198 -44 -350 -190 -395 -379 -18 -76 -8 -221 19 -290 114 -284 457 -406 731 -260 98 52 188 154 231 260 27 69 37 214 19 290 -38 163 -166 304 -326 360 -67 23 -215 33 -279 19z\"\/><\/g><\/svg><\/i> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"16\" height=\"16\" alt=\"Loading\" src=\"http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/wp-content\/plugins\/page-views-count\/ajax-loader-2x.gif\" border=0 \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"pvc_clear\"><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Prime Minister Robert Abela met with His Holiness Pope Leo XIV in the library of the Apostolic Palace in the Vatican on Monday. This visit commemorates the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Malta and the Holy See. The establishment of diplomatic relations between Malta and the Holy See, on 15 December [&hellip;]<\/p>\n<div class=\"pvc_clear\"><\/div>\n<p id=\"pvc_stats_53901\" class=\"pvc_stats all  \" data-element-id=\"53901\" style=\"\"><i class=\"pvc-stats-icon medium\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" version=\"1.0\" viewBox=\"0 0 502 315\" preserveAspectRatio=\"xMidYMid meet\"><g transform=\"translate(0,332) scale(0.1,-0.1)\" fill=\"\" stroke=\"none\"><path d=\"M2394 3279 l-29 -30 -3 -207 c-2 -182 0 -211 15 -242 39 -76 157 -76 196 0 15 31 17 60 15 243 l-3 209 -33 29 c-26 23 -41 29 -80 29 -41 0 -53 -5 -78 -31z\"\/><path d=\"M3085 3251 c-45 -19 -58 -50 -96 -229 -47 -217 -49 -260 -13 -295 52 -53 146 -42 177 20 16 31 87 366 87 410 0 70 -86 122 -155 94z\"\/><path d=\"M1751 3234 c-13 -9 -29 -31 -37 -50 -12 -29 -10 -49 21 -204 19 -94 39 -189 45 -210 14 -50 54 -80 110 -80 34 0 48 6 76 34 21 21 34 44 34 59 0 14 -18 113 -40 219 -37 178 -43 195 -70 221 -36 32 -101 37 -139 11z\"\/><path d=\"M1163 3073 c-36 -7 -73 -59 -73 -102 0 -56 133 -378 171 -413 34 -32 83 -37 129 -13 70 36 67 87 -16 290 -86 209 -89 214 -129 231 -35 14 -42 15 -82 7z\"\/><path d=\"M3689 3066 c-15 -9 -33 -30 -42 -48 -48 -103 -147 -355 -147 -375 0 -98 131 -148 192 -74 13 15 57 108 97 206 80 196 84 226 37 273 -30 30 -99 39 -137 18z\"\/><path d=\"M583 2784 c-38 -19 -67 -74 -58 -113 9 -42 211 -354 242 -373 16 -10 45 -18 66 -18 51 0 107 52 107 100 0 39 -1 41 -124 234 -80 126 -108 162 -133 173 -41 17 -61 16 -100 -3z\"\/><path d=\"M4250 2784 c-14 -9 -74 -91 -133 -183 -95 -150 -107 -173 -107 -213 0 -55 33 -94 87 -104 67 -13 90 8 211 198 130 202 137 225 78 284 -27 27 -42 34 -72 34 -22 0 -50 -8 -64 -16z\"\/><path d=\"M2275 2693 c-553 -48 -1095 -270 -1585 -649 -135 -104 -459 -423 -483 -476 -23 -49 -22 -139 2 -186 73 -142 361 -457 571 -626 285 -228 642 -407 990 -497 242 -63 336 -73 660 -74 310 0 370 5 595 52 535 111 1045 392 1455 803 122 121 250 273 275 326 19 41 19 137 0 174 -41 79 -309 363 -465 492 -447 370 -946 591 -1479 653 -113 14 -422 18 -536 8z m395 -428 c171 -34 330 -124 456 -258 112 -119 167 -219 211 -378 27 -96 24 -300 -5 -401 -72 -255 -236 -447 -474 -557 -132 -62 -201 -76 -368 -76 -167 0 -236 14 -368 76 -213 98 -373 271 -451 485 -162 444 86 934 547 1084 153 49 292 57 452 25z m909 -232 c222 -123 408 -262 593 -441 76 -74 138 -139 138 -144 0 -16 -233 -242 -330 -319 -155 -123 -309 -223 -461 -299 l-81 -41 32 46 c18 26 49 83 70 128 143 306 141 649 -6 957 -25 52 -61 116 -79 142 l-34 47 45 -20 c26 -10 76 -36 113 -56z m-2057 25 c-40 -58 -105 -190 -130 -263 -110 -324 -59 -707 132 -981 25 -35 42 -64 37 -64 -19 0 -241 119 -326 174 -188 122 -406 314 -532 468 l-58 71 108 103 c185 178 428 349 672 473 66 33 121 60 123 61 2 0 -10 -19 -26 -42z\"\/><path d=\"M2375 1950 c-198 -44 -350 -190 -395 -379 -18 -76 -8 -221 19 -290 114 -284 457 -406 731 -260 98 52 188 154 231 260 27 69 37 214 19 290 -38 163 -166 304 -326 360 -67 23 -215 33 -279 19z\"\/><\/g><\/svg><\/i> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"16\" height=\"16\" alt=\"Loading\" src=\"http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/wp-content\/plugins\/page-views-count\/ajax-loader-2x.gif\" border=0 \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"pvc_clear\"><\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":53902,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[19],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-53901","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-local-news"},"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/PR252257a.jpg",450,300,false],"thumbnail":["http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/PR252257a-150x100.jpg",150,100,true],"medium":["http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/PR252257a-300x200.jpg",300,200,true],"medium_large":["http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/PR252257a.jpg",450,300,false],"large":["http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/PR252257a.jpg",450,300,false],"1536x1536":["http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/PR252257a.jpg",450,300,false],"2048x2048":["http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/PR252257a.jpg",450,300,false],"td_0x420":["http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/PR252257a.jpg",450,300,false],"td_80x60":["http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/PR252257a-80x60.jpg",80,60,true],"td_218x150":["http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/PR252257a-218x150.jpg",218,150,true],"td_324x400":["http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/PR252257a-324x300.jpg",324,300,true],"td_696x0":["http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/PR252257a.jpg",450,300,false],"td_1068x0":["http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/PR252257a.jpg",450,300,false],"td_100x70":["http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/PR252257a-100x70.jpg",100,70,true],"td_265x198":["http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/PR252257a-265x198.jpg",265,198,true],"td_324x160":["http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/PR252257a-324x160.jpg",324,160,true],"td_324x235":["http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/PR252257a-324x235.jpg",324,235,true],"td_356x220":["http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/PR252257a-356x220.jpg",356,220,true],"td_356x364":["http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/PR252257a-356x300.jpg",356,300,true],"td_533x261":["http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/PR252257a-450x261.jpg",450,261,true],"td_534x462":["http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/PR252257a.jpg",450,300,false],"td_696x385":["http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/PR252257a.jpg",450,300,false],"td_741x486":["http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/PR252257a.jpg",450,300,false],"td_1068x580":["http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/PR252257a.jpg",450,300,false]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"Bernard Lynch","author_link":"http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/index.php\/author\/bernardlynch\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"Prime Minister Robert Abela met with His Holiness Pope Leo XIV in the library of the Apostolic Palace in the Vatican on Monday. This visit commemorates the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Malta and the Holy See. The establishment of diplomatic relations between Malta and the Holy See, on 15 December&hellip;","_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/53901","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=53901"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/53901\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":53905,"href":"http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/53901\/revisions\/53905"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/53902"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=53901"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=53901"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=53901"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}