Honduran President Xiomara Castro will be received today in audience by Pope Leo XIV, the ninth Pope of Vatican City since May 8.
This is the third time during her term (which will end in January 2026) that the first female head of state in this Central American country has traveled to the small state nestled in Rome, the capital of Italy, following her audience with Pope Francis in October 2022 and her attendance at his funeral last April.
Among other reasons, this meeting with Robert Francis Prevost, the American-Peruvian Holy Father, is taking place because the president was unable to attend the ceremony marking the beginning of his pontificate due to scheduling conflicts.
In an official statement, Castro’s administration said that this rapprochement with the Vatican is seen as a gesture of high diplomatic value.
“Not only does it strengthen relations with the Holy See, but it also projects the Honduran government’s commitment to working for the universal values of solidarity, fraternity, and mutual respect,” the press release emphasized.
The first meeting between the dignitary and Pope Leo XIV will be held at the Apostolic Palace, where the head of the Catholic Church receives heads of state and government. (PL)
