Pope Leo XIV to Meet US Secretary of State Rubio

Pope Leo XIV is set to meet U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday, as per the Vatican's official calendar released on Monday.

The private meeting is scheduled for 11:30 AM local time (09:30 GMT) and comes amid heightened diplomatic tensions involving criticisms of U.S. President Donald Trump.

The visit aims to ease strained relations between the Vatican and the U.S. government, which represents the world's 1.4 billion Catholics. Rubio, who is Catholic, is expected to meet with Vatican Secretary of State Pietro Parolin and Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani during his visit to Rome.

Additionally, he seeks to meet Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. The meeting follows recent strong criticisms from Pope Leo XIV regarding global conflicts and political leadership, particularly in response to U.S. policies.

This engagement will mark the second meeting between Pope Leo XIV and Rubio, following their earlier encounter in May 2025, shortly after the Pope's election.