Private audience with Pope Francis - Vatican, 25 August 2022

Pope Francis received President of Hungary Katalin Novák in a private audience at the Vatican. The almost three-quarter hour meeting between the Hungarian Head of State and the Head of the Catholic Church focused on three main topics: the Pope's visit to Hungary next year, the war in Ukraine and support for families. 

Katalin Novák said that at the meeting in the private library of the Pope, she handed over an official invitation letter to Pope Francis, asking him to visit Hungary next year. The Catholic Pontifex Maximus confirmed his intention to visit Hungary, so that preparations can begin for next year's papal visit.
On the war in Ukraine, Katalin Novák stressed that it is "in our common interest" to have peace as soon as possible.

"Pope Francis is praying for peace, he is speaking out for peace, and he is doing everything he can to be an ambassador of peace", the President said, stressing that Hungarians are also speaking out for peace and want the Russian-Ukrainian war to end as soon as possible.

The Hungarian Head of State said that she and Pope Francis had discussed at length the support of families and Hungarian family policy. The President added that "we in Hungary have done everything we can to make having children and raising children a good experience", adding that the Holy Father also appreciated this.

The Holy Father was surprised by the fact that the number of marriages in Hungary had doubled, while the number of abortions had halved. They also talked about the importance of standing up for traditional family values and the preservation of the traditional family model, "especially now that so many people are attacking these traditional values.".

The President of Hungary said that she had also received the blessing of the Holy Father. Katalin Novák stressed that "I will take this blessing home to the Hungarian people".

Hungary's assistance to persecuted Christians was also discussed at the meeting. The Vatican supports the continuation of this mission, the President said.

As a gift, Katalin Novák also brought Pope Francis an embroidered priest's stole, which expresses the richness of Hungarian culture and its respect for tradition. Designed by Mrs. dr Károly, née Anna Botyánszky, Master of Folk Art, and the joint work of several women embroiderers, the stole figuratively features Hungary, as the motifs reflect the world of the most famous Kalocsa, Békés Szűcs, Nógrád Palóc, Matyó, Sióagárd and the so-called noble decorations. The last stitches were made by Katalin Novák herself.

Following the meeting with the Pope, the President and her team held talks with Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State and Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, Secretary of State for Interstate Relations of the Holy See.