Overview
- Pope Leo XIV held successive audiences on 5 March 2026 at the Vatican Apostolic Palace with Austria’s President Alexander Van der Bellen, Singapore’s President Tharman Shanmugaratnam, and Canada’s Governor General Mary Simon.
- Each delegation continued discussions with Cardinal Pietro Parolin and Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher in the Secretariat of State.
- The Austria meeting highlighted strong bilateral ties, the Church’s contribution to the common good, and concerns over migration and interreligious relations, with a call for greater international efforts toward peaceful solutions.
- The Singapore talks praised harmonious coexistence among cultures and religions, noted the Catholic Church’s role in the country, and emphasized support for renewing multilateral mechanisms.
- The Canada audience affirmed positive relations and satisfaction with progress in mutual understanding initiated under Pope Francis, with attention to regional and international issues and a commitment to peace among peoples.