On 4 September, President of Latvia Edgars Rinkēvičs met with His Holiness Pope Leo XIV during a private audience in Vatican. During the meeting, President Rinkēvičs invited Pope Leo XIV to visit Latvia.
Visit of the President of Latvia to Vatican included a meeting with His Eminence Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of the State of the Holy See. During the meeting, President Rinkēvičs and Secretary of the State of the Holy See discussed bilateral relations between Latvia and the Holy See, including cooperation between Latvia and the Catholic Church, regional security and support to Ukraine in its fight against Russian aggression.
President of Latvia praised Holy See’s overall efforts to bring Ukrainian war prisoners and deported children home. “Latvia strongly supports the return of illegally displaced and deported Ukrainian children to Ukraine. We insist on holding Russia liable for the crimes it has committed,” Edgars Rinkēvičs stressed.
Officials exchanged views on situation in Middle East and conflict with Iran. President of Latvia confirmed Latvia’s support for speedy resolution of the situation to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons and restore flow of goods through the Strait of Hormuz, eliminate existing shipping threats in the Red Sea and put an end to civilian suffering.
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This is the first meeting between the President of Latvia and Pope Leo XIV since Pope’s election as the 267th Bishop of Rome and successor of Saint Peter. Pope Leo XIV (real name Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost) was born in Chicago (USA) on 14 September 1955. Pope Leo is the first pope in the history from the Order of the Saint Augustine.
On 3 September 2026, Hole See and Latvia marked 104 years since signing of the Concordat.
