On 16 May, President Edgars Rinkēvičs met with His Holiness Pope Francis in a private audience. During his visit, the President of Latvia also had the opportunity to meet with Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State of the Holy See.
During the meeting with the State Secretary of the Holy See, President Rinkēvičs discussed bilateral relations, including cooperation between Latvia and the Catholic Church, as well as regional security and support for Ukraine in its struggle against the aggressor. During the conversation, E. Rinkēvičs underscored the excellent relations between Latvia and the Holy See, as well as the regular dialogue between senior officials. Concurrently, the President of Latvia reaffirmed Latvia's support for Ukraine. "It is imperative that all necessary support is provided to Ukraine to enable it to defend itself against the aggressor and defeat it. We call on you to support the Ukrainian peace initiative," said E. Rinkēvičs. Additionally, President Rinkēvičs requested that the Holy See assume an active role in the return of Ukrainian children abducted by Russia from Russia, the territories of Ukraine temporarily occupied by Russia and Belarus.
During the visit to the Holy See, a film about the Venerable Bishop Boļeslavs Sloskāns was screened with the participation of Holy See officials. In 2004, a decree was issued by Pope John Paul II that officially recognized the heroism of Boļeslavs Sloskāns, thus enabling him to be called a Venerable. The Church's recognition of his virtues signifies its appreciation of the excellence of his life and its view of him as worthy of emulation. This represents the first stage in the process of formal canonization of Bishop Sloskāns.
