Pope and Merkel discuss climate change on farewell visit to Rome

Rome (dpa) – Pope Francis and Angela Merkel discussed climate change during the outgoing German chancellor’s farewell visit to the Vatican on Thursday, with Merkel saying she was encouraged that the issue “is being worked on by the holy father.”

Francis has made his concerns regarding climate known in the past and recently joined 40 Church leaders in sending a joint appeal to the COP26 UN Climate Change Conference, scheduled to start in Glasgow at the end of the month.

Merkel also addressed the issue of child abuse within the Church. Ahead of the audience with Francis, she visited an institute of the Pontifical Gregorian University, where she met German priest Hans Zollner, who has been tasked by the Church with the protection of children.

“I wanted to emphasize through my visit that the truth must be exposed and that the issue of child abuse must be dealt with,” Merkel said.

The visit was the fifth private meeting that Merkel, the daughter of a Protestant pastor and theologian, has conducted with Francis, who is said to have a high opinion of the German leader.

Merkel was later welcomed with military honours to Rome by Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi. After talks with Draghi, the outgoing chancellor spoke at a peace event at the Colosseum organized by the Community of Sant’Egidio.

Even times of many wars and conflicts must not lead to a blunting of people’s sensibilities, Merkel said. “We should not get used to images that reach us almost daily from crisis regions.”

Merkel called for the hardships and concerns to be heard from other regions of the world as well: “Human suffering is not relativized by geographical distance.”

The chancellor said “that as a world community we are a community of destiny.”

The Community of Sant’Egidio regularly organizes international and inter-religious meetings. Merkel is “impressed” by this and said: “Without respect for those who think differently and for those who believe differently, we cannot live together in diversity and peace.”

War is the failure of politics and humanity,” Pope Francis said at the same meeting, calling for “Less weapons and more food! Less hypocrisy and more transparency! More justly distributed vaccines and less carelessly sold weapons!”

Draghi praised the chancellor for her service to the European Union.

The German politician played a “very decisive role in shaping the future of Europe in her 16 years [in power],” said Draghi. Merkel had overcome all crises and did so “with calm, determination and a European idea.”

Merkel is a “master of multilateralism” and “an example for many girls and young women who want to get into politics,” he said.

“We will miss her,” said Draghi.

Although the chancellor will likely come to Rome at least once again in an official capacity, for the G20 summit at the end of October, she has already announced that she wants to return to the Eternal City as a private person.

“My love for Italy will take a completely different form when I am no longer chancellor,” she said.