NewsNational News

Actions

Blinken meets Pope Francis, gets VIP tour of Sistine Chapel

pope.jpeg
Posted
and last updated

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has received VIP treatment at the Vatican, getting a private tour of the Sistine Chapel before he met with Pope Francis.

There were no immediate details Monday of the two men's closed-door talks in the Apostolic Palace.

Last year, when the Trump administration sent U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to Rome for a conference on religious freedom, Francis didn't grant him a meeting.

Vatican officials at the time said that was to avoid any suggestion of favoritism ahead of the U.S. presidential election that brought Blinken's boss, President Joe Biden, to power.