The Queen Visits The Pope

Image from BBC: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-26867032 

The Queen fitted in a brief visit to the Vatican to meet Pope Francis. They exchanged gifts during the visit which lasted around 20 minutes. 

This meeting came during the centenary of Britain re-establishing relations with the Holy See in 1914. There had been a divide for centuries after the schism caused by Henry VIII's divorce in the 1500's.

It was the Queen's seventh encounter with a Pope. She previously met Pius XII when she was the Princess Royal in 1951, John XXIII in 1961, John Paul II in 1980, 1982 and 2000, and Benedict XVI during his visit to the UK in 2010.

The gift for Pope Francis was a hamper filled with items from each of her estates (homes) including venison and whisky from Scotland, apple juice from Norfolk and honey from Buckingham Palace!

However the Pope indicated he would donate the contents to a “local poor house”. 

What would you give to Pope Francis as a gift? Do you think the Pope is right to give his present to the poor? Do you think the visit was as significant as some people were making out?

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