Anthony Albanese gifts artwork and $42 bottle of wine to Pope Leo, Archbishop Gallagher

Anthony Albanese presented Pope Leo and Archbishop Paul Gallagher with Aussie-themed gifts, as he extended a personal invitation to the pontiff.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese met with Pope Leo XIV at Vatican City and extended a personal invitation to the pontiff to visit Australia while also discussing freedom of religion and environmental concerns.

The pair met at 4.30pm on Monday (12.30am Tuesday AEST) – at the end of the prime minister’s three-day trip to Rome – and discussed a series of issues including geopolitical tensions and the need for world peace.

Anthony Albanese is the first Aussie PM in 16 years to have a private audience with a pope. Picture: Vatican Media

They discussed matters including world peace and the environment. Picture: Vatican Media

The pontiff was gifted a stunning Aboriginal artwork. Picture: Vatican Media

The formal invitation to Leo is in the hope he will visit Australia in 2028 for the Eucharistic Congress in Sydney which is expected to attract tens of thousands of Catholics from around the world.

The last time a pope visited Australia was the late Pope Benedict XVI when he travelled down under for World Youth Day in July 2008.

In images released by the Vatican, Mr Albanese and the pontiff were all smiles and shook hands as they met at the Apostolic Palace at Vatican City, the official residence of the pope and where Leo is expected to live.

Honoured to have an audience at the Vatican today with His Holiness Pope Leo XIV. The Holy Father’s message to the world of peace and social justice is inspiring. pic.twitter.com/b06Df4BJoM

— Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) May 19, 2025

Limited details were provided of their conversations but in a private moment during the meeting Leo blessed Mr Albanese’s late mother, Maryanne’s rosary beads which he took with him.

She was Catholic and died in 2002.

The Vatican said in a statement the holy father had “cordial discussions” with Mr Albanese.

“Warm appreciation was expressed for the good bilateral relations between the Holy See and Australia, as well as for the contribution of the Catholic Church in service of society, especially in the educational sphere,” the Vatican said.

“An exchange of views then took place on the sociopolitical situation of the country, focusing in particular on themes of mutual interest, including environmental protection, integral human

development and the freedom of religion”.

The prime minister arrived with gifts in tow and gave Leo a piece of canvas framed Indigenous artwork and Archbishop Paul Gallagher, the Vatican’s foreign minister, a bottle of South Australian wine, Penfolds Shiraz.

Mr Albanese has invited the pontiff to visit Australia. Picture: Vatican Media

The artwork, Raukkan (meeting place), was created by artist Amanda Westley, from the Ngarrindjeri clan in South Australia and the bottle of Penfolds BIN 28 Shiraz, 2021, South Australia retails for about $42.

When Mr Albanese arrived at the Vatican he was greeted by a Swiss Guard and then escorted to meet with Leo by the gentlemen of the papal household.

He congratulated the 267th pontiff on his successful election after a two-day conclave earlier this month and thanked him for the invitation to attend the inaugural mass at Vatican City on Sunday which was attended by more than 200,000 people from all over the world.

During Leo’s homily on the weekend where he said he yearned for, “a united Church, a sign of unity and communion, which becomes a leaven for a reconciled world.”

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Australia's ambassador to the Holy See Keith Pitt meet with Archbishop Paul Gallagher (Secretary for Relations with States and International Organisations) in the Apostolic Palace in Vatican City. Picture: Vatican Media

Australia’s ambassador to the Holy See, Keith Pitt, who is based in Rome said: “The last time a Prime Minister had a papal audience was almost 16 years ago, today’s audience between His Holiness Pope Leo XIV and Prime Minister Albanese is an important moment in Australia’s history and our enduring relationship with the Holy See”.

Mr Albanese also met the Archbishop Gallagher in the Apostolic Palace which Mr Pitt also attended.

The pontiff also held a series of other meetings with political leaders on Monday including US Vice President JD Vance.

I was humbled and honored to meet Pope Leo XIV and lead the presidential delegation to Rome for his inaugural mass. We had a great conversation, and I know he is a true servant of God.

I hope all Americans will join me in praying for the new pope as he begins his ministry. https://t.co/z7Q9J48Sdz

— JD Vance (@JDVance) May 19, 2025

Shortly after the two met, Mr Vance posted on social media site X, “I was humbled and honoured to meet Pope Leo XIV and lead the presidential delegation to Rome for his inaugural mass.

“We had a great conversation, and I know he is a true servant of God,” Mr Vance said.

“I hope all Americans will join me in praying for the new pope as he begins his ministry”.

Mr Vance presented the pontiff, who was born in Chicago, with a guernsey of the football team the Chicago Bears with Pope Leo XIV written on the back.

Originally published as Anthony Albanese gifts artwork and $42 bottle of wine to Pope Leo, Archbishop Gallagher