Merkel meets pope and receives farewell tribute from Draghi

ROME (AP) — Italian Premier Mario Draghi is paying tribute to outgoing German Chancellor Angela Merkel for her “calm, determined” leadership even during difficult years for Europe and the common currency. Merkel herself has called this her farewell trip to Italy as chancellor, and her unusually long 45-minute papal audience and glowing tribute from Draghi indicated her Roman counterparts wanted to pay their respects too. Merkel told reporters she talked politics, climate change and clergy sex abuse during the visit to the Vatican and a meeting at a Jesuit-run academic program for child protection and safe environments that Germany has supported.