Pope Benedict receives President Nicholas Sarkozy of France

During the course of their visit, the French president presented the Holy Father with a collection of books by the French author, René de Chateaubriand – in particular, a five-volume set of Chateaubriand’s Memoires and two volumes of his Genius of Christianity. Sarkozy received in exchange a ceramic model and print of St. Peter's Basilica. The Pope and the President met and spoke privately for a half hour.

A Statement from the Press Office of the Holy See issued after the meeting informs that, at the center of their cordial exchanges, were subjects of international politics, such as the peace process in the Middle East, the situation of Christians in several countries and the enlargement of the representation of the world in multilateral institutions.

The Pope and the President also discussed the importance of ethical and social dimension of economic issues. In this line, the perspective proposed by the Encyclical Caritas in veritate was emphasized.

After recalling the Apostolic Journey of His Holiness to Lourdes and Paris in 2008, and the visit of President Sarkozy in the following year, Pope Benedict and President Sarkozy reaffirmed the mutual desire to maintain an ongoing dialogue at different institutional levels and continue to collaborate constructively on issues of common interest.

President Sarkozy went on to meet with the Cardinal Secretary of State, Tarcisio Bertone, who was accompanied by the Secretary for Relations with States, His Excellency Archbishop Dominique Mamberti.