day 4: the president travels to italy, meets with pope ... · holiness pope francis. this was...
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3/27/14, 9:00 PMDay 4: The President Travels to Italy, Meets with Pope Francis | The White House
Page 1 of 4http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2014/03/27/day-4-president-travels-italy-meets-pope
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Today, President Obama headed to Italy, continuing his five-country trip across Europeand Saudi Arabia.
The President started off the day at the Vatican, where he had an audience with HisHoliness Pope Francis. This was President Obama's first time meeting Pope Francis, andthe two "had a wide-ranging discussion," the President said.
Day 4: The President Travels to Italy, Meets with PopeFrancis
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3/27/14, 9:00 PMDay 4: The President Travels to Italy, Meets with Pope Francis | The White House
Page 2 of 4http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2014/03/27/day-4-president-travels-italy-meets-pope
"I would say that the largest bulk of the time was discussing two central concerns of his,"said the President. "One is the issues of the poor, the marginalized, those withoutopportunity, and growing inequality. ... And then we spent a lot of time talking about thechallenges of conflict and how elusive peace is around the world."
I think the theme that stitched our conversation together was a belief that inpolitics and in life, the quality of empathy, the ability to stand in somebodyelse’s shoes and to care for someone even if they don't look like you or talklike you or share your philosophy -- that that's critical. It’s the lack ofempathy that makes it very easy for us to plunge into wars. It's the lack ofempathy that allows us to ignore the homeless on the streets. And obviouslycentral to my Christian faith is a belief in treating others as I’d have themtreat me. And what’s I think created so much love and excitement for HisHoliness has been that he seems to live this, and shows that joy continuously.
President Barack Obama meets with Pope Francis for a private audience in Vatican City, Italy,March 27, 2014. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)
After his audience with the Pope, the President met with Vatican Secretary of StateCardinal Pietro Parolin, joined by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and U.S. NationalSecurity Advisor Susan Rice.
President Obama then traveled to the Quirinal Palace in Rome for a bilateral meeting andworking lunch with Italian President Giorgio Napolitano, followed by a bilateral meetingwith Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi at Villa Madama. Read President Obama's andPrime Minister Renzi's remarks from their joint press conference.
Taking a break from the day's meetings, the President toured the Colosseum, the largestamphitheatre of the Roman Empire. "This is bigger than some current baseball stadiums,"he said. "I have to check on what it seats. It's remarkable. Unbelievable."
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President Barack Obama with Barbara Nazzaro, Technical Dir. and Architect of the Colosseum,tour the Colosseum in Rome, Italy, March 27, 2014. (Official White House Photo by LawrenceJackson)
The President wrapped up the day at the U.S. Ambassador's residence in Rome, meetingwith employees and families of the U.S. Tri-Mission to Italy, the Holy See, and the U.N.agencies in Rome.
Learn more:
The President's 2014 Spring Trip
Readout of the President's Audience with His Holiness Pope Francis
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