Italian president meets privately with Pope Benedict

Published: 2005-05-03

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Italian President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi was the first head of state to have a private audience with Pope Benedict XVI. Ciampi and his wife, Franca, who had been close to Pope John Paul II, already met the new pope April 24 after his installation Mass, but returned for a special audience May 3. The Italian president and his wife invited Pope Benedict to visit their official residence, the Quirinal Palace, which once was a papal residence. Pope Benedict accepted the invitation and will make his visit June 24, said Joaquin Navarro-Valls, Vatican spokesman.

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