Pope Francis receives US President Trump

Pope Francis (r.) In conversation with US President Trump (right)

US President Donald Trump visited Pope Francis in the Vatican. Their relationship is considered bad: in the past, the billionaire and the church leader had attacked each other in some harsh words.

Pope Francis has received US President Donald Trump for a private Vatican visit. The visit was a "great honor," said Trump.The Pope looked serious at first, but later he smiled a lot. The church leader greeted Trump in the anteroom of his private library. At the photo date before the conversation began, Pope Francis mostly looked down, while Trump smiled at the cameras. The audience of about thirty minutes was the first meeting between the Catholics' head and the Republican.

Trumps (M.), his daughter Ivanka (left) and his wife Melania, surrounded by the papal Swiss barons

In the run-up to this, the Pope had announced that he wanted to build on his personal encounter in common. There are always "doors that are not quite complete," says Francis on 14 May.The real estate billionaire and the "Pope of the Poor" are crossed on many topics. They represent opposing positions in climate protection, the refugee crisis and immigration issues. Because of the planned construction of a wall on the border with Mexico, Trump and Francis already had a verbal strike exchange during the US election campaign. During his visit to Mexico, Francis said, "A person who thinks of building walls instead of bridges is not Christian," the Pope said. Trump countered: "If the Vatican is attacked by the IS, what is the goal of terrorism,

Trump was accompanied by a delegation of 12 people, including Foreign Minister Rex Tillerson, Presidential Melancholy, Trumps' daughter Ivanka and her husband Jared Kushner. Melania Trump, according to the Vatican protocol, had a black dress reaching over her knees and a black veil over her hair.

The length and strength of Trump's hand print is imemr again commented by political observers

The presidential convoy with about 60 cars reached the Vatican in the morning over the closed Via della Conciliazione and the Porta del Perugino, a side entrance of the small town. Thousands of pilgrims gathered in St. Peter's Square to attend weekly general meetings. The visit of the President is accompanied by high security precautions. Access roads around the Vatican are blocked off.

Trump is not known for a convinced religiosity. Other presidents often expressed their beliefs passionately. The 70-year-old is missing this. He is a Presbyterian, the largest branch of the Reformed Churches. He calls himself a Protestant. With the Christian thought of forgiveness, he can not begin to say anything. The visit to Rome was also his first stay in Europe as president.

After the audience, the President and his wife Melania visited the Sistine Chapel. After his visit to the Vatican, Trump met the Italian Prime Minister, Paolo Gentiloni and President Sergio Mattarella. Trump then travels to Brussels where, in the afternoon, thousands of people will protest against his visit.