President Lukashenko invites Pope Benedict XVI to Belarus

On April 27th, Benedict XVI held a 25 minute encounter at the Vatican with the President of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko. The audience was followed by an encounter between the Belarusian delegation and Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, the Vatican Secretary of State.The Pope gave a pontifical gold medal to Lukashenko, who, in turn, offered a wood and straw image of Jesus, manufactured according to traditional techniques.During the encounter, they reviewed major international issues and talked about the importance of collaboration between church and state and within the sphere of ecumenical relations in Belarus. The Belarusian President invited the Pope to visit the country.
Hat tip to the Let's Get it Right site for this video!