Leo XIV receives Chile's President José Antonio Kast

Pope Leo XIV this morning received in audience at the Vatican the President of the Republic of Chile, José Antonio Kast Rist, and his entourage, according to the Holy See Press Office bulletin of November 4 ("Audiences").

According to Chilean media (Emol, T13), the President arrived at the Vatican at 8:49 a.m. and the audience lasted about 40 minutes. Kast was accompanied by his wife María Pía Adriasola, Foreign Minister Francisco Pérez Mackenna, Minister Secretary General of the Presidency José García Ruminot, and the presidents of both chambers of Congress, Paulina Núñez and Jorge Alessandri.

Among the gifts to the Pope were an image of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, patroness of Chile, restored by the heritage department of La Moneda Palace, and the book "La Edad Media en Chile" by Fr. Gabriel Guarda. The Holy See Press Office later issued a statement (B0869): after the audience Kast met Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, Secretary for Relations with States and International Organizations. During the "cordial talks at the Secretariat of State", the statement says, "the good relations between the Holy See and Chile were highlighted", along with the significant contribution of the Catholic Church to the country's social life and to its spiritual life through popular piety. The talks then turned to "some questions of common interest at the regional and international level, with particular reference to migration and demographic decline" (our translation).