On Thursday morning, Leonardio Di Caprio and Pope Francis shared a 15 minute private meeting at the Vatican.
Leonardo Di Caprio arrived at 11.15 am at Vatican city with his father, George Di Caprio, and Milutin Gatsby, the global fundraising chair for the actor’s charity, the Leonardo Di Caprio Foundation. It was created in 2008 to support organizations and initiatives to guarantee a sustainable future for our planet. He was awarded at the World Economic Forum for his work in raising awareness.
Di Caprio wanted to discuss a subject both the Pope and himself “have very much at heart” which is the protection of the environment and the fight against climate change.
The Pope has made these issues top priorities since he became the leader of Catholic church. In his encyclical, Laudato Si, he encourages people to care for the planet and do something to help against the global warming.
At the end of the meeting, they exchanged presents. Pope Francis gifted Di Caprio with a leader bounded copy of his Laudato Si, and a copy of his previous document, The joy fo Gospel.
Di Caprio gifted the Pope with a check from his foundation for him to use for charity works, and a book featuring the art of Hieronymus Bosch, a Dutch painter from the 15th century.
The actor opened the book to specifically show him a painting named Garden of Earthly Delights. The painting was compound of three separate images: the first one featured Adam and Eve, the second one featured a beautiful green landscape, and the third one featured a depiction of hell. Di Caprio explained what this painting represented for him:
“As a child I didn’t quite understand what it all meant, but through my child’s eyes it represented a planet, the utopia we had been given, the overpopulation, excesses, and the third panel we see a blackened sky that represents so much to me of what’s going in the environment.”
He also said that the painting of the Earth in the background represents “the promise of the future and enlightenment,” a point of view that the Pope shares with him. Pope Francis said goodbye to the actor by saying “pray for me, don’t forget”.
Source: The LA Times