Following U.S. Special Climate Envoy John Kerry's visit to the Pope...
...Antony Blinken will become the second senior official from the Biden administration to travel to the Vatican.
The U.S. Secretary of State will be in Europe from June 22 to the 29.
In a press release, the U.S. State Department said he will meet with “senior Holy See officials to underscore the shared commitment to freedom of religion or belief and tackling the climate crisis.”
It is likely he will meet with the Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, and with the Holy See's Secretary of Relations with States, Archbishop Paul Gallagher.
In October the former U.S. Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, visited the Vatican, though he did not meet with Pope Francis.
The visit may lead the United States to name a new Ambassador to the Holy See, a role which has been vacant since January.
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TR: JM
