Outgoing Italian president has emotional meeting with Pontiff

February 05, 2013

Pope Benedict XVI met on February 4 with Italian President Giorgio Napolitano, prior to a concert celebrating the 84th anniversary of the Lateran Accords.

The 20-minute private conversation between the Pope and the Italian president reportedly touched not only on world affairs but also on personal matters. The two men have developed a warm rapport, and Napolitano, who is nearing the end of his 7-year term, admitted readily that he was emotional in what was probably his last official visit with the Pope.

After their meeting, the Pope and Napolitano attended a concert presented by the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino Orchestra, under the direction of Zubin Mehta, in the Paul VI auditorium. The concert—presented by the Italian embassy to the Holy See—included performances of the overture from Verdi’s La Forza del Destino and Beethoven’s 3rd (“Eroica”) Symphony.

 

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Further information:

• Mutual Esteem between Pope and Italian President (VIS)
• Concert for Pope Commemorating Lateran Accords (VIS)
• The strength of the Christian (L’ Osservatore Romano)