ROME — Prime Minister Mark Carney landed in Rome Saturday morning following an overnight flight from Ottawa, where he will meet with Italian leadership later in the day.
Carney is in the Italian capital to attend the inauguration of Pope Leo XIV on Sunday.
He was greeted on the tarmac by Canadian Ambassador to Italy Elissa Goldberg, Canada’s Ambassador to Holy See Joyce Napier, as well as other officials from the Italian government and the Holy See.
Carney, a devout Catholic, is making his first official visit to the Vatican, as he was unable to attend the funeral of Pope Francis which was two days before the federal election last month.
The Prime Minister’s Office has so far only confirmed Saturday's with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Italian President Sergio Mattarella, though Carney is expected to meet other G7 leaders as part of a concerted effort to meet with them ahead of the G7 summit in Canada next month.
Travelling with Carney to Rome is a delegation of 13 Liberal MPs, all of whom are either Catholic or represent ridings with a large Catholic base.
Among those on the trip are former cabinet minister Jean-Yves Duclos, Nova Scotia MP Jaime Battiste, and Ottawa MPs Mona Fortier and Marie-France Lalonde.
Senators Toni Varone and Tony Loffreda are also part of the Canadian delegation, as are Assembly of First Nations National Chief Cindy Woodhouse and Metis National Council President Victoria Pruden.
This report from The Canadian Press was first published on May 17, 2025.
Nick Murray, The Canadian Press
