Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik meets Pope Francis in Vatican City; terms it 'absolute pleasure'

Chief Minister of Odisha, Naveen Patnaik met the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State, Pope Francis on Wednesday. The CM shared that it was a pleasure meeting the Pope and further wished the leader good health. The leader thanked the Pope for the warm audience.

"It has been an absolute pleasure meeting His Holiness Pope Francis (@Pontifex) in Vatican City. Thanked him for the warm audience and wished him good health and a long life," Patnaik's tweet read as he greeted Pope Francis with folded hands. 

Before this visit, he had visited the MG Memorial Statue in Rome to pay tributes to Mahatma Gandhi.

Naveen Patnaik on an 11-day official visit

On Monday, Patnaik left India on an 11 day-official visit to Rome and Dubai. Upon arrival, the Odisha CM met India's Ambassador to Italy, Neena Malhotra.

Notably, the 75-year-old will be attending a function at World Food Programme (WFP) headquarters and will share his state's "transformational journey" in food security and disaster management. 

The CM will also meet UN World Food Programme Executive Director David Beasley and other senior officials of the WFP to discuss the state's partnership with the association and will plan for future projects and collaborations. Patnaik will also meet the Odia community residing in various parts of Europe. "He will also meet the Odia diaspora from various parts of Europe and discuss ways to engage the NRIs in promoting Odisha's art and culture and also be a partner in the state's transformational journey," CMO said.

Other than that, the Chief Minister will also be visiting Dubai later as part of his 11-day visit and will meet the Odia diaspora in the Middle East country as well. The leader also plans to meet investors from UAE and West Asia and discuss future prospects while inviting them to invest in Odisha. His delegation is made up of Ravi Kant, the state's resident commissioner in New Delhi, V K Pandian, and V V Yadav, principal secretary of the food supplies department. SC Mohapatra, the chief secretary, will join the delegation in Dubai. The delegation will return to India on June 30.