Mayor Eric Adams meets Pope Francis in Vatican City
![The meeting was the highlight of Hizzoner's trip to Rome.](https://theloadedgunn.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Mayor-Eric-Adams-meets-Pope-Francis-in-Vatican-City-780x470.jpg)
VATICAN CITY — Hizzoner just met hizzoliness.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams had an audience with Pope Francis at the Vatican Saturday morning, the highlight of Adams’ sojourn to Rome.
Adams, 63, and the Pope, 87, were pictured smiling and shaking hands in exclusive photos obtained by The Post.
Adams visited the Vatican City alongside Nobel Laureates and other participants in the World Meeting on Human Fraternity, including Graça Machel Mandela, the widow of Nelson Mandela.
“I think it is crucial for what he’s doing about having a second meeting on the human fraternity is so important, because as young people will say, he’s a credible messenger, he’s an influencer,” Adams said of His Holiness on Friday.
Though Hizzoner clarified that is “not a practicing Catholic,” he said that the visit to the global center of Catholicism was “a very important moment…for a spiritual outlet.”
After his papal audience, Adams palled around with Rome Mayor Roberto Gualtieri at the Piazza di San Cosimato, where they painted over graffiti and toured a renovated garden used by a local youth nonprofit.
“Young people are so far away from nature. But these children have become inspired. they’re naming themselves after the plants. So they’re watching the plants grow,” Adams marveled at the project.
“I’d like to say New York City is the Rome of America,” he then boasted during face-time with the press.
Later Saturday afternoon, Adams will serve as the keynote speaker at a roundtable on public administration in urban communities at the Palazzo Senatorio.
Adams’ Roman holiday got off to an auspicious start Friday, when he made headlines for praising the speed of the Eternal City’s transit construction projects.
“When it comes down to making these major renovations, here, they are able to build without all the bureaucracy,” he laughed.
On Friday night, Adams was treated to a tour of the Sistine Chapel followed by dinner at the Vatican.
Country singer Garth Brooks performed a cappella at the event, which kicked off the Be Human campaign.