President Pavel received by Pope Leo XIV: Czech Republic underlines close ties with the Vatican

On Monday, President Petr Pavel and his wife Eva Pavlová visited the Vatican. The highlights of the official visit included an audience with Pope Leo XIV and talks with Cardinal Pietro Parolin.

On Monday, 19 January 2026, the President of the Czech Republic, Petr Pavel, and his wife Eva Pavlová visited the Vatican. The official visit included an audience with His Holiness Pope Leo XIV as well as talks with His Eminence Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Secretary of State of the Holy See.

“During my meeting with the Pope, we discussed current global issues as well as the changes taking place in today’s world and their impact on the Czech Republic and Europe. The Church has an exceptional diplomatic reach, and Pope Leo XIV is very actively engaged in moderating conflicts and promoting solutions. Among other things, I thanked him for his efforts to secure the release of Jan Darmovzal from Venezuela,” President Pavel said. He added: “We also discussed relations between the Vatican and the Czech Republic, as well as the invitation for the Pope to visit, which he accepted with thanks. I am pleased that our relationship with the Holy See is at such a high level.”

Foto: Tomáš Fongus | Pražský hrad

President Pavel and the Pope agreed that democratic countries should remain natural partners. “We are in a phase that will shape the future of Europe and show whether there will continue to be a group of European countries guided by the values, principles and foundations on which the European Union was established, or whether fragmentation will occur because some states favour power-based principles,” the President said.

Foto: Tomáš Fongus | Pražský hrad

Following the meeting with Pope Leo XIV, President Pavel also held talks with Cardinal Parolin. Afterwards, he and his wife Eva visited the Sistine Chapel and St Peter’s Basilica, where they laid flowers at the altar of Saint Wenceslas, as well as parts of the Vatican Gardens. “Every time I am here, I am impressed and filled with awe at what people centuries ago were able to create without the technical means available today,” the President remarked.

Foto: Tomáš Fongus | Pražský hrad

In addition, the President and the First Lady visited the Czech Pontifical College Nepomucenum, which primarily serves Czech and Moravian priests and theology students studying at pontifical universities. The college functions as a residential, academic and spiritual centre for the Czech Catholic community in Rome. It was founded in 1884 on the initiative of Pope Leo XIII and is named after Saint John of Nepomuk. Currently, 39 students are studying there, including 11 from the Czech Republic. The others come mainly from India and Africa.

The official visit concluded with a visit to the Basilica of St Clement, where President Pavel and Mrs Pavlová laid flowers in the crypt at the symbolic tomb of Saint Cyril.