Prime Minister Narendra Modi will meet Pope Francis during his Europe visit, the Kerala Catholic Bishops' Council (KCBC) said on Wednesday, 27 October, reported The Indian Express. PM Modi will be visiting Rome and the Vatican City from 29-31 October at the invitation of Prime Minister Mario Draghi, ANI reported.
Quoting official sources, KCBC president Cardinal George Alenchery said in a statement that the "meeting between His Holiness Pope Francis and Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi will take place on Saturday, 30 October".
According to sources, the visit has been confirmed by the Vatican and will take place at 8.30 am, where the two are likely to have an informal talk for 30 minutes.
Cardinal Alenchery called it a historic meeting, adding that it will "add more energy and warmth to the relations between our country and the Vatican and the Catholic Church".
Meanwhile, PM Modi said, "In Rome, I will attend the 16th G20 Leaders' Summit, where I will join other G20 Leaders in discussions on global economic and health recovery from the pandemic, sustainable development and climate change," reported ANI.
After his Rome visit, PM Modi will travel to Glasgow for two days, from 1-2 November.
(With inputs from The Indian Express and ANI)
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