Less than a month into his pontificate, Pope Leo XIV received President of the Republic Sergio Mattarella at the Vatican for his first official visit. The highly anticipated meeting took place today in the Pontiff's Private Library, following a brief greeting between the two during the inaugural Mass on May 18. Mattarella arrived shortly before 8:45 a.m., accompanied by his daughter Laura, Quirinal Secretary General Ugo Zampetti and a delegation that also included Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani. Welcoming them to the San Damaso Courtyard, adorned for the occasion with a tricolor floral arrangement, was Monsignor Leonardo Sapienza, regent of the Prefecture of the Papal Household. After the execution of the national anthems, the Head of State reached the Second Loggia for the meeting with the Pontiff. The conversation with Leo XIV comes amid an international context fraught with tensions and conflicts. President Mattarella, in the aftermath of the new Pope's election, had expressed his hope that his mission would be a bearer of “dialogue, justice and peace”. Today's visit marks a new chapter in relations between the Quirinal and the Holy See. Mattarella's last official visit was on May 29, 2023, when Pope Francis awarded him the Paul VI Award for his civic commitment inspired by Christian values. After meeting with the President, Pope Leo XIV continued his morning by receiving in audience the General Chapters of the Society of African Missions, the Third Order of St. Francis, and the Trainers of the Servants of the Paraclete.