Pope Francis met with the prince and princess of Monaco, Albert II and his wife Charlene, at the Vatican.
While Catholic queens and princesses may wear white while meeting the Pope as princess Charlene did last time they met in 2016, this time she opted for black.
As a gift the prince gave the Pope a drawing of the chapel in the Prince's Palace of Monaco.
In return, the Pope gave them a bronze sculpture of a child helping to lift up another child with the words “to love, to help,” and explained its meaning:
“[It is] the only moment in which a person can look at another below, and help them to get up.”
Pope Francis then gave a special charge to the princess.
“Pray for me, don't forget. This job is not easy.”
And he passed along his greetings to their two children.
“A blessing, and greet the children.”
Monaco is the oldest dynasty in Europe spanning over 700 years. Yet as a principality recognized by the king of France in the Medieval era, the title of its sovereign is that of prince, rather than king.
JM
