(UPDATED, 3:45 PM) Pope Francis expressed great support for the Ukrainian people and their current struggle during the reception of Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala today. The head of the Czech government told reporters at the Vatican after leaving the Apostolic Palace, where he spent about an hour with the head of the Catholic Church. The audience was, in his own words, a “tremendous honor” for the Prime Minister.

He invited Pope Fiala to visit the Czech Republic. Although, he said, it was too early for the Vatican’s reaction, the prime minister believed that Francis would come if his health allowed and he had the opportunity to do so. According to the Vatican, the talks demonstrated a good state of mutual relations and a desire to improve them further.

The Pope and the Czech Prime Minister devoted part of the meeting to Russia’s aggression in Ukraine and the fate of Ukraine, many of whom have found refuge in European countries, including the Czech Republic. “The pope expressed enormous support for the Ukrainian people and their just struggle. I think it is important for us to think about the plight of the Ukrainian people and help them in every way we have,” the Czech prime minister said at the Vatican.

According to Fiala, the Popes are “clearly aware of the injustice of Russian aggression”, they said that they did not find mutual contradictions regarding the views of the situation in Ukraine during the debate with Francis.

I had a wonderful experience. The audience with Pope Francis was a great honor for me.

I really appreciate the Pope’s moral stance and support for human rights, religious freedom and support for oppressed people.

I spoke to him about the attitude of the Czech Republic towards Ukraine and how we must not succumb to evil. pic.twitter.com/hnTTHSAqIU

— Petr Fiala (@P_Fiala) June 9, 2022

Fiala, who brought a Ukrainian embroidered scarf with a dove of peace motif as a gift to the Pope today, according to his words, during a meeting with František, he recalled all the support the Czech Republic gave to Ukraine in humanity. and the military field.

According to the Czech Prime Minister, the Pope’s visit to Ukraine, which has been repeatedly considered, will be significant. “Without wanting to interpret Pope Francis’ views, I think that would be his wish. But there must be conditions for that, including health conditions,” Fiala said.

The Prime Minister of the Czech Republic also met with the Vatican Secretary of State Piero Parolin, the main topic of talks was also Ukraine, but also the mutual relations between the Czech Republic and the Vatican. “We still have open contracts that have been running for years or decades,” said Fiala. According to him, the government wants to close the case.

(10:14 am, original report) The meeting with the head of the Catholic Church was supposed to last less than an hour, and the head of the Czech government announced earlier that he wanted to talk about the situation in Ukraine and the refugee crisis caused by the Russian invasion, but also about human rights and the upcoming Czech EU president. There was also an invitation for the Pope to visit the Czech Republic.

Arrive at the Vatican. pic.twitter.com/dndQfSrhhs

— Petr Fiala (@P_Fiala) June 9, 2022

The prime minister arrived before 9:00 am in the St. Damasus, where he was greeted by the equestrian Swiss Guard and head of Vatican Protocol, Leonardo Sapienza. Fiala came with his wife Jana, who according to protocol was wearing a black long-sleeved dress and her head was covered with a mantilla, a black veil.

Deputy Prime Minister Marian Jurečka and chairman of the parliamentary club ODS Marek Benda also attended the meeting with the head of the Catholic Church. After the audience with the Pope, the Czech Prime Minister is still meeting with the Vatican Secretary of State Pietro Parolin.

Fiala had said before his trip to Rome that the visit had political and social significance and that he wanted to help advance contractual relations between the Czech Republic and the Vatican. In addition, for the Prime Minister, the audience also has a purely personal and spiritual dimension, because as a believer he considers it a wonderful opportunity to speak privately with the head of the Catholic Church.

During today’s meeting, Pope Francis received a family Bible with a reproduction of a medieval illumination and a Ukrainian embroidered scarf with a dove of peace motif from the Czech Prime Minister. The Prime Minister wrote it on Twitter. The head of Vatican diplomacy, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, received a miniature crown jewel with Czech garnet.

I will meet Pope Francis today.

On this occasion, I will give her a shawl, which is sewn together by Czech and Ukrainian women and which is supposed to symbolize peace and friendly relations between countries. I took over for the Holy Father directly from Mother Marija Skyby, who participated in its creation. pic.twitter.com/meqxdyp5AS

— Petr Fiala (@P_Wallflower) June 9, 2022

Gifts to the Pope and the Secretary of State have primarily symbolic value. The 1,024-page family Bible is meant to mark the end of the Family Year, which the Pope announced last March and which will solemnly conclude at the World Meeting of Families in Rome in less than two weeks.

Thanks to the use of Czech garnets, miniature crown jewels, which are the symbol of the Czech state, also draw on handicrafts and jewelry traditions.

The embroidered shawl, jointly made by Czech and Ukrainian women as a symbol of solidarity and assistance after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, will be presented to the Pope along with three Czech colors and two Ukrainian colors.