Prime Minister Robert Abela of Malta met with Pope Francis at the Vatican.
-Good morning.
-Good morning.
-Thank you for hosting us. I truly appreciate it.
-It's Rome.
-Beautiful Rome.
-Yes, yes.
The Prime Minister's wife and their daughter, Georgia Mae, were also present. They brought the Pope a number of blankets to give to homeless people. The gift represents a larger solidarity initiative spearheaded by the Prime Minister and his family.
-From Georgia.
They also gave Pope Francis this painting of St. Paul and Maltese St. Publius.
-This was made during Covid, when giving hugs was more difficult.
The Pope, in turn, gave the family a sculpted panel illustrating the theme of mercy, with the inscription “Let us fill hands with other hands.”
And some of the most important documents from his pontificate, including the Document on Human Fraternity.
-The document from Abu Dhabi.
-Thank you....
-The messages in the Encyclical are powerful.
The meeting included the usual group photo, and a special blessing for the Prime Minister's daughter.
-May the Lord bless you.
It was a friendly meeting, reflecting the strong ties between Malta and the Church. In fact, Pope Francis was supposed to visit Malta on Dec. 4, but the Maltese press reports that the trip has been canceled because of a spike in Covid-19 cases and because of the possibility of an election announcement.
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