Pope Leo XIV Meets with the New President of Costa Rica - Laura Fernández - from a Country where Catholicism is the Official State Religion - VIDEO

 Pope Leo XIV Meets with Costa Rican President Laura Fernández Delgado

Vatican News — Pope Leo XIV welcomed the President of the Republic of Costa Rica, Laura Fernández Delgado, for a private audience at the Vatican’s Apostolic Palace on the morning of October 29.

Laura Virginia Fernández Delgado, age 40, became the president of Costa Rica in May 2026. She is Catholic and has one child.  Costa Rica, officially the Republic of Costa Rica, is a country in Central America. It borders Nicaragua to the north, and it's official language is Spanish. The total population is about 5.2 million. Catholicism is the official state religion of Costa Rica, about 47% to 52% of Costa Ricans identify as Roman Catholic.

Pope Leo XIV was given some Costa Rican coffee by the president; and some liturgical vestments (See video):

Following her meeting with the Holy Father, President Fernández Delgado held talks with Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State, and Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, Secretary for Relations with States and International Organizations.

According to a statement from the Holy See Press Office, the discussions were cordial and highlighted the strong relations between the Vatican and Costa Rica, as well as the positive relationship between the Costa Rican government and the local Catholic Church.

The dialogue also touched on key socio-political issues facing the country and the surrounding region, focusing particularly on security challenges and migration.

FULL TEXT - 

This morning, the Holy Father Leo XIV received in audience, in the Vatican Apostolic Palace, HE Mrs. Laura Fernández Delgado, President of the Republic of Costa Rica, who subsequently met with His Eminence Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State of His Holiness, accompanied by HE Monsignor Paul R. Gallagher, Secretary for Relations with States and International Organizations.

During the cordial discussions in the Secretariat of State, satisfaction was expressed for the good relations between the Holy See and Costa Rica, as well as between the State and the local Church.

The conversation continued, touching on several current sociopolitical issues in the country and the region, particularly security and migration.

From the Vatican, October 29, 2026

https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/it/bollettino/pubblico/2026/10/29/0850/01578.html