“Valuable contribution” of Church in South Africa Discussed During Pope Leo XIV–President Ramaphosa Vatican Meeting

Vatican, 09 November, 2025 / 10:51 PM

The “valuable contribution” of the Catholic Church to South Africa, especially in education, healthcare, and efforts to promote dialogue and reconciliation, was a key focus of discussions between Pope Leo XIV and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa during their meeting at the Vatican.

According to statement, which the Holy See Press Office issued on November 8, the Holy Father received President Ramaphosa in a cordial private audience at the Apostolic Palace. 

The talks, the statement notes, highlighted the long-standing relationship between the Catholic Church and the Republic of South Africa.

“During the cordial talks, mutual appreciation was expressed for the valuable contribution that the Catholic Church provides to South Africa, particularly in the areas of education and healthcare, and its ongoing commitment to foster dialogue and reconciliation within society,” the Holy See Press Office statement indicates. 

Speaking to journalists following the meeting, President Ramaphosa said he had “a good first meeting with Pope Leo XIV.”

“We've been really honoured to be received by the Holy Father, to come and visit here at the Vatican. It's been a working visit where we came to pay our respects to the Pope, and we've also laid a wreath at Pope Francis's grave,” he said.

The South African President added, “I had a lengthy discussion with Pope Leo about a variety of matters. We discussed our forthcoming G20 and he gave support to what we are trying to achieve with our G20, particularly supporting our theme of equality, solidarity, and sustainability.”

“We also discussed the situation of peacemaking around the world, particularly in Palestine as well as on our own continent, and the situation in the Sudan, where there's a lot of suffering,” President Ramaphosa said.

He continued, “We were deeply moved by the empathy that was expressed by the Pope, and we're also very impressed with the position that he has taken on a number of issues to alleviate the suffering of people around the world.”

“We were deeply moved by his sense of compassion and also his support for poor people and struggling people around the world,” President Ramaphosa said.

He said global cooperation is key to addressing inequality, food insecurity, Africa’s underdevelopment, and geopolitical tensions.