Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán visited Pope Leo at the Vatican on October 27. He was accompanied by his wife, children, and grandchildren. Before the private audience, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and his family attended Holy Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica and passed through the Holy Door. His meeting with the Pope lasted about an hour. In his post on X, President Orban wrote that he asked the Holy Father to support Hungary’s anti-war efforts.
Following the private audience, Orban also met with Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican Secretary of State, and Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, Secretary for Relations with States and International Organizations. According to the Holy See Press Office, the talks emphasized “the strong bilateral relations” between the Vatican and Hungary. The leaders also addressed the Church’s commitment to the well-being of the Hungarian community, the role of the family, the future of young people, and the importance of protecting the most vulnerable Christian communities.
They also discussed European issues, especially the conflict in Ukraine and the situation in the Middle East. Budapest is set to host a peace summit between the Russian and American presidents in the near future.