Pope Francis has met with the president of Georgia, Salome Zurabishvili, at the Vatican.
The president brought the Pope a case of wine, the origins of which have been traced back to Georgia in 6,000 BC. She also gave him a painting of the score from a 12th century Georgian song, as well as books documenting the years of the country's occupation by the Soviet Union, from which it declared independence in 1991.
'The monuments, how they were before and how they are today. The result of those years of occupation and destruction'.
In return the Pope gave her a handmade wooden image of the Virgin Mary and Jesus, as well as signed copies of his message of peace to world leaders.
'This is a document on fraternity that came before Fratelli Tutti'.
He also gave rosaries to the members of the president's delegation, and asked each one of them to pray for him.
'Pray for me. Pray for me. Pray for me'.
During her trip to Rome, President Zurabishvili signed two agreements for cooperation on culture and education between Georgia and the Holy See.
She also visited the Vatican's Bambino Gesù children's hospital, where Georgian medical professionals will be able to go to receive training.
JM
