By Charles Igwe
Pope Francis recently welcomed Jeff Bezos, the billionaire founder of Amazon, and his fiancée, Lauren Sanchez, at the Vatican. The meeting, which took place last week, was not mentioned in the Vatican’s official bulletin, where the Pope’s daily meetings are usually reported.
According to the Daily Mail, the private audience occurred on Thursday, August 15, coinciding with the Catholic Church’s celebration of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary.
Lauren Sanchez shared details of the encounter on her Instagram account, expressing the honor she and Bezos felt in spending time with Pope Francis. “His wisdom, warmth, and humor were deeply touching,” she wrote, noting that the Pope reminded them “not to take life too seriously,” a message that resonated with them both.
Sanchez also mentioned that they discussed the urgent need for climate action, a cause Pope Francis is deeply committed to and one that aligns with the mission of the Bezos Earth Fund. She added that the Pope’s views on “finding beauty and meaning in everything we do” particularly struck her, as did his encouragement for priests to read poetry and literature to stay connected with the human spirit.
In her closing remarks, the 54-year-old expressed gratitude for the blessing of meeting Pope Francis and for the “gentle wisdom” he shared during their visit.
