Vatican city: Following his meeting Saturday with His Holiness Pope Leo XIV, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, accompanied by Deputy PM Tarek Mitri, met with the Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, and the Vatican Secretary for Relations with States and International Organizations, Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher.
According to National News Agency - Lebanon, cordial talks held at the State Secretariat touched on the distinguished bilateral relations between Lebanon and the Vatican, and the shared aspiration for the apostolic visit of His Holiness Pope Leo XIV to Lebanon, scheduled for November 30 to December 2, 2025.
PM Salam also paid a visit to the Maronite School in Rome, which he described in a statement saying, "This ancient educational and spiritual edifice reflects the depth of ties between Lebanon and the Vatican, and embodies a legacy of cultural and humanitarian partnership between the two countries."
Salam also visited the Maronite Mariamite Institute at the Monastery of Saint Anthony the Great, where he was received by Abbot Edmond Rizk, the Father General of the Maronite Order.
In his welcoming word, Abbot Rizk hailed PM Salam's visit to "the first home of every Lebanese, and every Easterner, in the eternal capital, Rome," saying, "Your visit today to the Holy See is a new confirmation that Lebanon lives on with both its Islamic and Christian wings."
He added, addressing Salam, "You embody enlightened thought and steely will, coming from outside the political alignments and entering moderation through the wide door...We affirm our support and pray that, alongside His Excellency the President, you may steer the ship of Lebanon despite the huge challenges, until we reach the safety shore and desired peace, which is the dream of every Lebanese at home and abroad."
Concluding his visit, Salam toured the Marian Institute Library where he viewed the collection of rare books and manuscripts.