President Seguro Meets Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican
President António José Seguro arrived in Rome today for a high-profile official visit to the Vatican, where he is set to meet with Pope Leo XIV on Thursday morning. The visit signals a continued strengthening of the historic ties between Portugal and the Holy See.
A Packed Diplomatic Schedule
Shortly after landing in the Italian capital this afternoon, the Head of State visited the Church of Saint Anthony of the Portuguese, a significant historical site that has welcomed Portuguese pilgrims to Rome for centuries.
The centerpiece of the trip occurs Thursday at 9:00 AM local time, when the President will be received by Pope Leo XIV in Vatican City. Following the private audience, Seguro is scheduled to meet with Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, the Holy See’s Secretary for Relations with States and International Organizations. The President’s itinerary also includes tours of the Sistine Chapel and Saint Peter’s Basilica.
In a symbolic gesture of cultural exchange, President Seguro will also inaugurate “Encontro” (Encounter), a new sculpture by renowned Portuguese architect Álvaro Siza Vieira, located within the Vatican Gardens.
Inviting the Pope to Portugal
The meeting serves as a follow-up to a formal invitation Seguro extended to the Pontiff in May. The President has invited Pope Leo XIV to visit Portugal in 2027 to commemorate a triple anniversary: the 110th anniversary of the Fátima apparitions, the 10th anniversary of the canonization of Francisco and Jacinta Marto, and the 500th anniversary of the formalization of the apostolic nunciature in Portugal.
The Presidency previously described the relationship between the two states as an “example of institutional dialogue and mutual respect,” rooted in shared values of humanism and peace. Earlier this year, Seguro praised the Pope’s early pontificate, stating that Leo XIV has consistently spoken out in defense of dialogue and the end of human suffering with “the right word at the right moments.”
A Presidency on the Move
This trip marks António José Seguro’s ninth foreign visit since taking office six months ago. While his predecessor, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, famously chose the Vatican for his very first international destination to honor the Holy See’s 1179 recognition of Portuguese independence, Seguro has maintained a rigorous travel schedule, including visits to Spain, Italy, the United States, France, and Cape Verde.
The prospect of a 2027 Papal visit was first broached by Rebelo de Sousa during his farewell visit to the Vatican in February. President Seguro’s audience on Thursday is expected to further solidify those plans, bringing the Pope to Portuguese soil to celebrate the nation’s deep-rooted spiritual heritage.
Image: Pexels – Dirk Pothen
