Pope Leo XIV received on Wednesday at the Vatican an international delegation of writers on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the founding of Libreria Editrice Vaticana (LEV), the publishing house of the Holy See. Romanian novelist and poet Mircea Cartarescu was among the guests, Vatican News reports.

The delegation of writers who met with the Holy Father also included, among others, Jon Fosse, Marilynne Robinson, Elizabeth Strout, Eric-Emmanuel Schmitt, Vittorio Lingiardi, Julia Navarro, Jonathan Safran Foer, Enrico Brizzi, Colum McCann, Daniele Mencarelli.

The meeting took place on Wednesday morning in the hall adjacent to the Paul VI Audience Hall in the Vatican.

'Writing - as you practise it - is an act of truth, of revelation, for it reveals who we are, what we believe and hope for, the world we strive toward, and the future of which we dream. In this pursuit of truth, we sense that truth is subtle, revealing itself to us in our inner dialogue with God and in our open and respectful dialogue with our neighbors,' Pope Leo told the guests, warning that 'we are never masters of the truth; if anything, it is the truth that 'conquers' us,' according to Vatican News.

Writer Mircea Cartarescu posted on his Facebook account a photo in which he appears alongside the Holy Father, accompanying the image with the message: 'A unique moment I never thought I would experience. I thank His Holiness Pope Leo XIV for His great kindness.'

'After shaking hands with His Holiness and exchanging a few words each, we were offered an exclusive tour of the Cathedral, emptied of tourists, as few have ever seen it. I am grateful for this astonishing opportunity, one of those you have only once in a lifetime,' the writer added. AGERPRES (RO - writing by: Simona Tatu; EN - writing by: Simona Klodnischi)

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