The pope and his delegation were received at the palace in Budapest on the sidelines of his participation as an honorary guest in Hungary’s national day celebrations.

The president shared on her official X social media account that she conducted “meaningful discussions with his holiness,” whom she “thanked for celebrating with us on Hungary’s most important national holiday, Saint Stephen’s Day.”

Saint Stephen’s Day marks the canonization of Hungary's first king, Stephen the Grand Prince of the Hungarians, as patron saint of Hungary by Pope Gregory VII on 20 August 1083. It is also known as Foundation Day and Constitution Day and is the official state holiday of Hungary.

“We also agreed that the most important goal is to protect Christian roots and the family,” Nowak added.

For his part, Pope Tawadros expressed his great happiness with this visit and the hospitality he received from everyone in Hungary, the spokesperson affirmed.

Furthermore, he thanked the president for her kind invitation and expressed gratitude for the honorary doctorate he was awarded by Pázmány Péter Catholic University in Budapest earlier today.

The pope also met with Barnabas, Bishop of Turin and Rome, who submitted a report on the Diocese of Southern Germany and the Monastery of St. Anthony in Krefelbach.

Finally, the pope recorded a memorial speech in the register of senior visitors to the palace.