Pope Francis receives President Klaus Iohannis in Vatican

AGERPRES correspondent Catalin Alexandru reports: Pope Francis received President Klaus Iohannis in Vatican on Friday; the Romanian head of state was accompanied by his wife, Carmen, and by an official delegation.

President Klaus Iohannis and wife Carmen are welcomed at the Vatican by His Excellency Monsignor Georg Ganswein, prefect of the Papal Household, and by Papal Gentlemen
Photo credit: (c) Silviu MATEI / AGERPRES PHOTO

His Holiness and the President discussed for 20 minutes, before Iohannis introduced his wife and closest collaborators.

The President offered the Pope an engraving of downtown Sibiu with several churches of various confessions, and explained it was a symbol of the possibility of living together in harmony in Romania, irrespective one's religion; he also presented a golden coin minted to celebrate 2,000 years of Christianity, showing the importance Romanians attach to the Christian faith.

Pope Francis presented Iohannis with a picture of the angel of peace defeating the death.

President Iohannis also met at the Holy See the State Secretary Cardinal Pietro Parolin, and offered him a silver coin issued on the 130th anniversary of the first Romanian cardinal, Iuliu Hossu.

President Klaus Iohannis and wife Carmen lay a bouquet at the tomb of Pope John Paul II in St Peter's Basilica
Photo credit: (c) Silviu MATEI / AGERPRES PHOTO

The President and his wife concluded their visit to the Vatican by laying flowers at the tomb of Pope John Paul II in Saint Peter's Basilica. AGERPRES