Pope Francis gave a private audience to Cardinal Péter Erdő on Saturday.
Norbert Németh, Rector of the Papal Hungarian Institute of Rome, told MTI that the Holy Father spoke about the tasks ahead the Hungarian Catholic Church and Europe. Cardinal Erdő, the archbishop of Esztergom-Budapest, expressed thanks to the pope for the September 12 visit and his celebration of the closing mass of the congress.
While in Budapest for the 52nd International Eucharistic Congress, Pope Francis met President János Áder, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, members of the Hungarian Catholic Bishops’ Conference and representatives of the ecumenical churches and the Jewish community. Pope Francis once again emphasized the positive experience he gained in Hungary and the cordial talks he had with Hungary’s leaders. He also stressed the importance of returning to the original values of the founders of the European Union, Németh said.
Pope Francis highlighted his meeting with the Hungarian state leaders as a major event of his recent visit to Budapest, and spoke in high terms about the Hungarian faithful, Cardinal Erdő told MTI after the audience. The cardinal cited the pope as saying that his talks with the Hungarian leaders on September 12 were “very cordial and positive”. Pope Francis spoke in terms of recognition about the Hungarian faithful who he said had managed to keep Jesus Christ in the centre even amidst the turns of history, Cardinal Erdő said.