St Peter was known as the Rock

ST PETER was known as the Rock so it was very appropriate that the Chief Minister of Gibraltar should bring greetings from his Rock to St Peter’s descendant His Holiness, Pope Francis.

Fabian Picardo and his family, wife Justine and their children Sebastian, Oliver and Valentina were received at the Vatican in a private audience with the pontiff on Monday June 6.

The Chief Minister said: “I was greatly honoured to have time to speak privately with the Holy Father today.

“I presented Pope Francis with the good wishes of the People of Gibraltar and I took a message of best wishes from the Bishop, Monsignor Carmel Zammit, on behalf of the Catholic Church in

Gibraltar.

“I left His Holiness with a gold medal of our Lady of Europe, presented on behalf of Her Majesty’s Government of Gibraltar for the People of Gibraltar.

“I enjoyed my time with Pope Francis enormously and felt honoured and greatly humbled to have time to speak openly and freely with Pope Francis in private.

“His very presence exudes peace and a feeling of deep tranquillity combined with good humour and great advice.

“The reception Pope Francis afforded my wife and children was overwhelmingly warm, friendly and welcoming in every respect.

“I will value the time I spent with Pope Francis and the wisdom in the words he shared with me.”

Pope Francis will no doubt know a great deal about Gibraltar as before making Gibraltar born priest Mark Miles an archbishop and Apostolic Nuncio to Benin and Togo, he was for many years the Pope’s interpreter.

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