President Pellegrini Invites Pope Leo XIV to Visit Slovakia

Vatican, 4 December (TASR-correspondent) - President Peter Pellegrini invited Pope Leo XIV to visit Slovakia during his private audience in the Apostolic Palace in the Vatican on Thursday, the President's Office informed TASR on the same day. Pellegrini presented the Holy Father with gifts on behalf of all Slovak citizens. The gifts are designed to symbolise peace, a spiritual legacy and traditional Slovak art. They include a glass dove of peace that expresses gratitude for the Pope's peace-making mission. "It is made of crystal clear glass and captures light in a way that reflects hope. At the same time, the fragility of the glass subtly indicates how vulnerable peace is - it depends on human decisions, the courage to engage in dialogue and the willingness to forgive. The dove is placed on a golden pedestal, which symbolises the dignity of every person and the hope that reconciliation can prevail even in the midst of conflicts," stated the President's Office. The second gift is a wire sculpture called Pilgrims of Hope. It symbolises movement and fellowship. Its message is that the Church is a community of pilgrims who seek hope in walking together and don't shut themselves off from anyone on the fringes. "It's been inspired by the logo of the Jubilee Year 2025, which it connects to the tradition of Slovak wirework. Four figures created from galvanised wire using a traditional technique emerge from the two-dimensional logo into space and become people who walk together - as believers from different continents, generations and cultures," added the office. The president also showed the Pope photographs of the Tatra Ice Dome in the High Tatras. Its current look forms a tribute to two popes - Francis and Leo XIV. ko/df