President Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca held an audience with Pope Francis at the Vatican, days before she leaves office.

The Vatican press service said the two discussed collaboration between the Holy See and Malta, the prospects of European integration, migration in the Mediterranean and inter-religious dialogue.

The President also had a meeting with Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin, accompanied by Mgr Antoine Camilleri, Under-Secretary for Relations with States.

They discussed the collaboration between the Church and the State in favour of the human, social, cultural and spiritual progress of the population, particularly of the young, in light of the century-old contribution that Catholicism has offered to the country, the press service said. 

The president was accompanied by, among others, Foreign Minister Carmelo Abela. 

The president first formally met Pope Francis in September 2014, when she invited him to visit Malta. She also called at the Vatican in 2016.