Noboa told Pope Francis that he will continue “fighting” and gave him an image of the Virgin of the Swan

Francisco received President Daniel Noboa and his wife. The Ecuadorian president told him that people are very devout in the south of the country.

Pope Francis met this Monday, May 13, in the Vatican for the first time with the president of Ecuador, Daniel Noboa, who is on a trip to several European countries.

The meeting at the Apostolic Palace began at 08:45 (local time) and lasted 30 minutes, the Vatican reported.

The pope received Noboa and his wife, Lavinia Valbonesi, who told him: “Father, an honor to meet you, thank you very much for receiving us.”

Later, alone with the president, Francisco explained that Ecuador brought back memories: “like when I was rector of the Jesuit faculty I went to work there,” he said.

After the private meeting, the rest of the delegation was greeted, which included the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Human Mobility of Ecuador, Gabriela Sommerfeld, and the presentation of gifts.

Gift exchange

The Ecuadorian president gave the pontiff a reproduction of the Virgin of the Swan, made by artisans from the country, which Francis considered “beautiful.”

While Noboa explained that “people are very devout in the south” of the country, before adding: “I have also been very devout, especially when I was a boy, I always asked, I didn’t understand” about the swan.

While Francisco gave him a bronze work that represents a dove carrying an olive branch, with the inscription ‘Be messengers of peace’.

He also gave him several papal documents: this year’s Message for Peace, the book on the Statio Orbis of March 27, 2020, and the volume on the Papal Audience Apartment.

What did Noboa and Pope Francis talk about?

“The socioeconomic situation, with special reference to youth employment, as well as public security” and immigration, were the focus of the conversations that Noboa held in the Vatican, the Holy See explained in a statement.

While the Presidency of Ecuador reported on its social networks that Noboa commented to the Pope about the decisions made regarding security, employment and competitiveness.

At the end of the audience, the Pope encouraged the Ecuadorian president, with the word “Courage.” To which Noboa responded: “We will continue fighting. “

Other activities

After the interview with the Pope, the Ecuadorian delegation headed by Noboa went to the Secretariat of State to hold a meeting with the Secretary for Relations with States, Paul Richard Gallagher, and later tour some places in the City of Vatican.

At the end of his visit to the Vatican, Noboa plans to meet with the president of the Bambino Gesú pediatric hospital, Tiziano Onesti, to visit the facilities and present mutual cooperation activities, as well as with the president of Scholas Ocurrentes, José María Corral.

The Ecuadorian president announced last Wednesday through a decree that he was going to make an 11-day trip to Europe, including Italy, France and Spain between this Friday and May 21, but without specifying the details of the agenda or the days. which will remain in each of the three European countries.