The Taoiseach has arrived in the Vatican for talks with Pope Leo XIV.
Accompanied by his wife Mary, the Taoiseach was greeted by the Prefect of the Papal Household Monsignor Petar Rajic. He is expected to have a private meeting with with the Pope for around 30 to 40 minutes at the Papal Library in the Apostolic Palace.
The Taoiseach is then expected to speak to the Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin in a meeting which is expected to last for an hour, where they are set to talk about the Middle East, including the attacks against Christians in the West Bank and Jerusalem.
Following his visits to the Vatican, Micheál Martin is also set to visit the Pontifical Irish College in Rome, where he will speak with members of the college community and explore the archives. He is also expected to meet with Italian Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni.
Mr Martin is also set to outline Ireland's priorities in the upcoming Presidency of the EU, which begins on July 1.
Pope Leo has certainly not been afraid to express his opinions current issues, including the US' ongoing war on Iran.
Back in April, US President Donald Trump called out the Pope, and his growing criticism of the war, saying the pope was "weak on crime, and terrible for foreign policy".
However, in response, Pope Leo stated that he has "no fear" of Mr Trump or his administration.
"I have no fear of neither the Trump administration nor speaking out loudly about the message of the Gospel", he said. "We're not politicians. We're not looking to make foreign policy, as he [Trump] calls it, with the same perspective that he might understand it".
News of this also comes as the Taoiseach has condemned the interception by Israel of an aid flotilla, which had at least 10 Irish citizens on board.
