Vatican foreign minister meets with Slovak president

January 31, 2026

Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, the Holy See’s Secretary for Relations with States and International Organizations, began a three-day visit to Slovakia on January 30 to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the basic agreement, or concordat, between the Holy See and Slovakia.

Archbishop Gallagher met with Peter Pellegrini, Slovakia’s president since 2024, and with Juraj Blanár, the nation’s minister of foreign and European affairs.

President Pelligrini said that he had “a very good discussion” with Archbishop Gallagher and that “we reaffirmed our excellent and stable bilateral relations.”

“Against the backdrop of a changing global order and the erosion of international rules, we underlined the growing importance of an active, and responsible role of the international community,” Pellegrini added. “Slovakia and the Holy See jointly support peaceful, just, and dialogue-based solutions to conflicts.”

TASR, the news agency of the Slovak Republic, reported that the parties

jointly emphasized the importance of the Catholic Church in Slovak society, its work not only in the spiritual sphere, but also in the cultural, educational, and social areas in supporting vulnerable groups of the population. The head of state expressed his conviction that a possible visit by Pope Leo XIV to Slovakia would have great spiritual and symbolic significance for Slovaks and could be an encouragement in these difficult times.

The meeting between Archbishop Gallagher and President Pellegrini took place less than two months after the president met with Pope Leo.

The prelate also met with members of the diplomatic corps. During the meeting, he reiterated “the essential role of international relations and cooperation in promoting the common good,” according to the Holy See’s Secretariat of State.

Slovakia, a Central European nation of 5.6 million (map), is 84% Christian (74% Catholic). Pope Francis made an apostolic journey there in 2021.

 

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Further information:

• Social media post (X, @TerzaLoggia, 1/30/26)
• 2nd social media post (X, @TerzaLoggia, 1/30/26)
• 3rd social media post (X, @TerzaLoggia, 1/30/26)
• Social media post (X, @PellegriniP_, 1/30/26)
• President Pellegrini Receives Vatican's Secretary Paul Gallagher (TASR, 1/30/26)