This morning Mgr. Charles Azzopardi met with His Holiness Pope Leo XIV.  

A statement from the Catholic Diocese of Gibraltar follows below:

With preparations underway for the Episcopal Ordination of Mgr. Charles Azzopardi  on Sunday 7th December 2025, the Bishop-Elect has traveled to Rome and has this  morning met with His Holiness Pope Leo XIV.  

After the weekly General Audience, His Holiness engaged in a brief conversation  with Mgr. Charles extending his warmest wishes and Blessings to the people of  Gibraltar.  

Bishop Elect Charles remarked “It has been a very emotional and exciting  moment, meeting the Pope and having him bless the cross which belonged to  Bishop Rapallo and then worn many times by Bishop Devlin and Bishop Caruana, a  very important link to the past.”  

Bishop-Elect Charles, returns to Gibraltar before the weekend.  

The organising team would like to remind everyone who wishes to attend the  Ordination to register their interest on the website: catholic.gi/ordination