Pope Francis receives Aung San Suu Kyi in the Vatican
October 29, 2013: Pope Francis on Monday received Burmese Nobel Peace Laureate, Aung
San Suu Kyi in the Vatican, offering his support to her commitment towards democracy.
The Burmese opposition leader, a former political prisoner in her country, is currently
on a visit to Europe and on Sunday was made an honorary citizen of Rome.
After
the private meeting between Aung San Suu Kyi and Pope Francis, Vatican press office
director, Father Federico Lombardi briefed journalists and described what he called
“a great feeling of harmony and accord” between the Pope and this “symbolic figure
of the Asian world”.
The themes touched upon during their cordial exchange
included the culture of encounter and inter-religious dialogue. During the meeting,
which took place in the Papal Library, Pope Francis expressed his appreciation for
Aung San Suu Kyi’s commitment towards democracy in her country, and assured her of
the Church’s support towards this cause. But he specified that no kind of discrimination
is expressed by the Church which is at the service of all with its charitable works.
Father Lombardi also recalled the Pope’s attention towards the Asian continent
and his desire to visit it.
Suu Kyi has become an international symbol of
peaceful resistance in the face of oppression. She has spent most of the last two
decades in some form of detention because of her efforts to bring democracy to military-ruled
Burma. She was re-elected to parliament in 2012.Suu Kyi received the Nobel Peace Prize
in 1991 and earlier was awarded the Rafto Prize and the Sakharov Prize for Freedom
of Thought in 1990.