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North Macedonian leader meets with Pope (MIA.mk)
On May 24, Pope Francis received Talat Xhaferi, president of the assembly of North Macedonia. The legislative leader also met with Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Holy See’s Secretary of State, and Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, the Holy See’s Secretary for Relations with States and International Organizations.
Xhaferi condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine and expressed hope that North Macedonia would be able to join the European Union. He also expressed hope that the Vatican would open an apostolic nunciature in North Macedonia. (Currently, the apostolic nuncio in Bulgaria also serves as nuncio to North Macedonia.)
North Macedonia, a Southeast European nation of 2.1 million (map), is 64% Christian (63% Orthodox) and 33% Muslim. Pope Franics made an apostolic journey there in 2019.