Outgoing German Chancellor Angela Merkel met with Pope Francis and Prime Minister Mario Draghi on Thursday as part of her farewell visit to Italy.

       Her meeting with the pope centred on the issues of migration, climate change and COVID-19.

       She also took the opportunity to talk about the recent cases of clerical sex abuse and the role the church must play in addressing them.

       “We believe that the truth must come out and that more work needs to be done on the matter of child sex abuse”, said the leader in a press conference following her papal visit.

       “This is obviously something in which the Holy See has a crucial role to play if it is to rebuild Christian trust in the Catholic Church all over the world”.

       The leader also highlighted the importance of the church's contribution to the fight against climate change.

       She spent some 45 minutes with the Pope and received a small bronze copy of the Holy Door, the renowned entrance from St. Peter’s into the basilica.