James O'Reilly
Pope Leo XIV had a full morning schedule—after receiving US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, he met with Donald Tusk, the Prime Minister of Poland.
It is the first time the two leaders have met since the pope's election last May. During the exchange of gifts, Pope Leo was gifted a copy of the Pentateuch—the first five books of the Bible—in Kashubian, a language of northern Poland.
Afterward, Tusk also met with the Vatican’s Cardinal Secretary of State, Pietro Parolin, and with Msgr. Paul Gallagher, Secretary for Relations with States.
According to a statement from the Holy See Press Office, the discussion included,
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...the social and economic condition of the country, as well as the relations between the local Church and the state, especially in the field of education and with regard to ethical issues.
Reference was also made to the war in Ukraine and to the role played by a country like Poland within the European Union.
Elected Prime Minister for a second term in 2023, Tusk has publicly identified himself as Catholic on several occasions and belongs to the liberal, pro-European wing of Polish politics.
