Pope to Receive President of Italy and to Visit Prato and Florence

Vatican City, 27 March 2015 (VIS) – On 18 April, Pope Francis will receive President of Italy Sergio Mattarella for the first time in an official visit to the Vatican. President Mattarella was elected 3 February of this year. The visit has been confirmed by the Holy See Press Office as well as the pastoral visits that the Holy Father will make to the Italian cities of Prato and Florence on 10 November on the occasion of the 5th National Ecclesial Congress of the Italian Episcopal Conference (CEI) that will be held from 9-13 November. The Congress’s theme is “A New Humanism through Jesus Christ”.