Slovenian President Nataša Pirc Musar was received by Pope Francis in the Vatican on 5 December with the efforts to bring an end to conflicts in Ukraine, Gaza and other parts of the world high on the agenda.

After her second meeting with the pope since May 2023, Pirc Musar noted the Holy See's significant role in the international community in promoting peace, dialogue, and understanding among nations.

She also noted the traditionally friendly relationship and continuous dialogue between Slovenia and the Vatican. On the occasion, she invited the pope to visit Slovenia.

In a press release her office underscored that Pope Francis and President Pirc Musar "share concerns about the situation in Ukraine" and the efforts to bring this war to an end.

Pirc Musar noted Slovenia's commitment to just and lasting peace, based on the UN Charter. "Ukraine must have a seat at the table in all peace negotiations," she was quoted as saying.

The president and the pope also warned against the escalation in the use of weapons of mass destruction with Pirc Musar expressing the belief that Slovenia can work together with the Holy See on the climate crisis, conflict prevention, the protection of civilians and other pressing issues.

During the meeting, the president also emphasised inter-religious dialogue as a vital element for fostering greater understanding and cooperation worldwide and for more effective conflict resolution.

Exchange of gifts

The pope and the president also exchanged gifts. Pirc Musar gave the pope a handmade heart-shaped walnut wood tray by Slovenian designer Oskar Kogoj and traditional heart-shaped honeybread as symbols of the goodness of the human heart.

President Nataša Pirc Musar gifts Pope Francis a walnut wood tray called Slovenian heart. Photo: Vatican Media

Pope Francis presented the president with a bronze artwork depicting a dove carrying an olive branch, inscribed with the words Be Messengers of Peace.

He also gifted her printed editions of several papal documents, this year's message for the World Day of Peace, and a book titled Persecuted for Truth: The History of the Underground Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church.

Discussions with the Vatican secretary of state

The president also met with the Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, accompanied by Vatican Secretary for Relations with States and International Organizations, Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher.

According to the Vatican News, the meeting expressed appreciation for the positive relations between the Holy See and Slovenia and the contribution of the Catholic Church to Slovenian society.

Some unresolved issues in Church-state relations were also mentioned, though details were not disclosed. The discussions also addressed conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine, and the situation in the Western Balkans.

President Nataša Pirc Musar meets Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin. Photo: Vatican Media

"The Holy See is aware of the importance of dialogue," Pirc Musar said after talks, adding that Cardinal Parolin promised to visit Koper again next year for the Forum for Dialogue and Peace in the Balkans.

"We all agree that there is still a lot of work to be done to achieve peace in the 55 hotspots globally," she added.

Meting with Italian president

Pirc Musar started her official visit to Rome and the Vatican on 4 December with a meeting with the Grand Master of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, Fra' John Dunlap.

She expressed her gratitude for the Order's humanitarian work and took the opportunity to point to the escalating war in Ukraine and call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.

After her visit to the Holy See, Pirc Musar was hosted by her Italian counterpart Sergio Mattarella for a working lunch at the Presidential Palace in Rome.

According to her office, the Italian president is expected to visit Slovenia twice next year, to attend the opening ceremony of the European Capital of Culture in Nova Gorica and Gorizia in February, and later for an official visit.