Leonardo DiCaprio recalls 2016 meeting with Pope Francis as he pays tribute

The leader of the Catholic Church, Pope Francis, recently passed away at the age of 88. He died just after emerging from convalescence to bless thousands who had gathered in St.Peter's Square on an Easter Sunday.

To this, condolences started pouring in from celebrities, netizens and leaders from across the globe. Popular actor Leonardo DiCaprio also paid tribute to the late Pope via an instagram post and called him one of the most extra-ordinary spiritual leaders. Caprio posted a picture of him with the Pope from a meeting they had in the year 2016.

The actor wrote that the Pope was a transformational leader, not only for the Church but also for environmental conservation and bringing about a change in society. He also referenced Laudato Si, the legendary 2015 encyclical that aimed at bringing about a change in environmental conservation and how humans should see planet earth.

"This powerful document served as a clarion call for a fundamental shift in how we relate to the planet. Emphasizing the interconnectedness of all life, Pope Francis urged individuals, communities, institutions, and world leaders to unite in caring for our common home. His words helped catalyze momentum ahead of the global 2015 COP21 conference, ultimately contributing to the formation of the Paris Agreement.” Caprio wrote in the post.

DiCaprio also took the chance of recalling his meeting with the Pope in 2016 and shared details about the same.

The two met in quite a public sit-down with the motive of discussing the issue of climate change and environment preservation. The meeting took place while Caprio was shooting his documentary before the floods happened in the year 2016.

"In 2023, Pope Francis expanded upon Laudato Si’ with the publication of Laudate Deum: Apostolic Exhortation on the Climate Crisis. In it, he renewed his call for immediate and decisive climate action, reminding us that “we are part of Nature, included in it and thus in constant interaction with it,” and that we must not view the world from the outside, but from within." DiCaprio wrote in his post and gave furthur details about Laudato Si.

He concluded his post by honoring the legacy of the late religious leader and mentioning that he continues to inspire environmenttalists across the world.

Leonardo DiCaprio's meeting with the Pope in 2016

As per an article by People, actor Leonardo DiCaprio met Pope in Vatican City to discuss the topic and climate change and the preservation of the environment. According to footage received by the publication, DiCaprio greeted the Pope in Italian before starting the meeting.

“Your Holiness, thank you for granting me this private audience with you.” Caprio said in Italian.

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The footage further shows an exchange of gifts between the two personalities. DiCaprio gave a pontiff along with a book of a collection of paintings by painter Hieronymus Bosch. The actor mentions that “The Garden of Earthly Delights” hung over his cradle when he was a baby. In return, the Pope gave DiCaprio a leather-bound version of Laudato Si, his encyclical on the environment.

DiCaprio mentions in the footage that it was a profound experience meeting the Pope. He says via a voice-over that the Pope mentions about the need to speak out about the problem of climate change as loud as we can.

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