Denis Bećirović, the Bosniak member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, was received in a private audience by Pope Francis at the Vatican. Bećirović congratulated the pontiff on his tenth anniversary of his election as head of the Catholic Church expressed gratitude to the Holy See for its support for his country’s independence, sovereignty, and territorial integration and his appreciation for Pope Francis’ engagement and visits, as well as the two visits of John Paul II. Bećirović invited Pope Francis to visit Bosnia and Herzegovina, emphasised the importance of the Declaration on Human Brotherhood for World Peace and Coexistence signed in 2019 by Pope Francis and the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Ahmad Al-Tajeb, calling for reconciliation and brotherhood among all people of good faith. Bećirović presented Pope Francis with a copy of the book Codex diplomaticus Regni Bosnae.
Pope Francis emphasised the country’s special place in his heart and the importance of cultural and inter-religious dialogue in the country.
After the audience, Bećirović had a meeting with the Secretary of State of the Holy See, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, and the Secretary of the Holy See for Relations with States, Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher.