Pope Francis and French President Emmanuel Macron shared an affectionate embrace following a Tuesday morning meeting that went overtime at the Vatican.
After speaking privately for nearly an hour—about twice as long as Francis usually spends with heads of state—in the pope’s library in the Apostolic Palace, Macron was photographed putting a hand around Francis’ shoulder and kissing him on both cheeks. The Pope reciprocated by warmly gripping Macron’s arm.

The two leaders also exchanged gifts, with Macron giving the pope a rare copy of Georges Bernanos’ 1936 book Diary of a Country Priest while Francis presented the French president with a medal depicting St. Martin of Tours, who gave his cloak to a poor man.

A Vatican statement said the two discussed, “protection of the environment, migration, and multilateral commitment to conflict prevention and resolution, especially in relation to disarmament,” according to Reuters.
More Must-Reads from TIME
- Inside Elon Musk’s War on Washington
- Meet the 2025 Women of the Year
- The Harsh Truth About Disability Inclusion
- Why Do More Young Adults Have Cancer?
- Colman Domingo Leads With Radical Love
- How to Get Better at Doing Things Alone
- Cecily Strong on Goober the Clown
- Column: The Rise of America’s Broligarchy
Write to Megan McCluskey at megan.mccluskey@time.com