
First Lady Melania Trump and the president's daughter, Ivanka, dressed in all black and wore veils to meet Pope Francis on Wednesday, just as former First Lady Michelle Obama did when she met Pope Benedict.

The women traveled to the Vatican on Wednesday with President Donald Trump, who was meeting with Francis for one of his most high-profile talks.

Trump, Melania, Ivanka and her husband Jared Kushner were greeted in a Vatican courtyard by Archbishop George Ganswein, the prefect of the pontifical household.

Melania and Ivanka kept with tradition and wore veils to meet Francis. The veil, or mantilla, is traditionally worn by women as a sign of respect when meeting the Pope. Trump senior aide Hope Hicks wore one as well.

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First Lady Melania Trump and the president's daughter, Ivanka, traveled to the Vatican on Wednesday with Donald Trump, who was meeting with the Pope for one of his most high-profile talks

Melania and Ivanka kept with tradition and wore veils to meet the Pope. The veil, or mantilla, is traditionally worn by women as a sign of respect when meeting the Pope

Pope Francis met with a number of Trump's closest advisers, including his daughter Ivanka, her husband Jared Kusner, national security adviser HR McMaster and adviser Hope Hicks

Pope Francis shared a private audience at the Vatican with Donald Trump and his wife, Melania, early on Wednesday morning

Melania opted for a black, below-the-knee lace dress with long sleeves as she met with the Pope. Her veil appeared to be made out of a similar material

Neither woman, however, wore a head scarf in Saudi Arabia over the weekend, despite the local custom of Muslim women wearing hijabs in public.

Melania's predecessor Michelle Obama did not cover her head when she accompanied then-President Barack Obama on a condolence visit in January 2015 after the death of King Abdullah.

Donald Trump tweeted his disapproval at the time, saying: 'Many people are saying it was wonderful that Mrs. Obama refused to wear a scarf in Saudi Arabia, but they were insulted. We have enuf (sic) enemies.'

Like Ivanka and Melania, Michelle Obama opted to wear a black veil while meeting Pope Benedict in 2009.

Catholic women worldwide typically wore mantillas to church until the 1950s.

President Trump and wife Melania stared at the frescoed ceilings during their visit to the Sistine Chapel at the Vatican

President Trump and his wife looked at the marble Pieta sculpture by Michelangelo in the St Peter's basilica on Wednesday

Ivanka Trump, pictured above, at a ceremony where her father US President Donald Trump received the Order of Abdulaziz al-Saud medal from Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud at the Saudi Royal Court in Riyadh, opted not to wear a headscarf during her trip to Saudi Arabia

Melania Trump, pictured at the Arab Islamic American Summit, at the King Abdulaziz Conference Center last week, did not wear a head scarf in Saudi Arabia either

Former First Lady Michelle Obama also wore a black veil when she and then-President Barack Obama met Pope Benedict at the Vatican in 2009

Trump adviser Hope Hicks (center, with White House Director of Social Media Dan Scavino, left) also wore a veil to the Vatican on Wednesday

Melania, Ivanka and Jared sat in an anteroom while Francis and the president held their audience, speaking with Gentlemen of His Holiness members and Gaenswein.

Trump looked uncomfortable as he entered a small elevator taking him to the third floor of the Apostolic Palace, where he was accompanied by Ganswein and other officials along a frescoed corridor to the pope's private study.

Following behind Trump were daughter Ivanka, Kushner, national security adviser HR McMaster and adviser Hicks.

Trump greeted Francis in Sala del Tronetto, the room of the little throne, on the second floor of Apostolic Palace Wednesday morning.

Pope Francis did not smile as he greeted Trump outside the study. Trump, seeming subdued, said 'it is a great honor'.

The two men then posed for photographs before heading into their meeting, which at precisely 8.33am.

Following their meeting, which lasted for about half an hour, Trump smiled and chatted with Francis after the two warmly shook hands.

Ivanka, too, wore a veil for the meeting with Pope Francis. She paired her veil with a black long-sleeved lace dress and a pearl necklace

Ivanka Trump was accompanied at the the Vatican by her husband and top Trump adviser Jared Kushner. The familly was greeted by Archbishop George Ganswein, the prefect of the pontifical household in a Vatican courtyard

Ivanka and Kushner were present for Trump's highly anticipated meeting with the Pope. Trump and Pope Francis previously clashed during the 2016 presidential election

Melania, Ivanka and Jared sat in an anteroom while the Pope and the president held their audience, speaking with Gentlemen of His Holiness members and Gaenswein

Francis also shook hands with other members of the president's team, including former bodyguard Keith Schiller and social media director Dan Scavino.

As they were leaving the meeting, the pope joked with first lady Melania, possibly alluding to the president's big-and-tall frame.

'What do you give him to eat - potica?' the pope asked.

Potica is a nut-filled cake from the first lady's home country of Slovenia. Melania did not dispute it, simply laughing and responding 'potica'.

Trump and Pope Francis then exchanged gifts at the Vatican before the president departed.

Pope Francis gave the president copies of his three main teaching documents as parting gifts, as he typically does for visiting heads of state.

Melania smiled as she and Trump arrived at the Apostolic Palace for an audience with Pope Francis on Wednesday morning

Trump at first did not plan to stop in Rome during his visit to Europe, which some in the Vatican saw as a snub. When he changed his mind, the Vatican squeezed him in at 8.30am on a Wednesday morning

The Trump family's meeting with the Pope came just hours before he usually holds his weekly audience with the general public on Wednesday at 10am in St Peter's Square

Melania and Trump are welcomed by the prefect of the papal household Georg Gaenswein arrive at the Vatican for a private audience with Pope Francis

Melania paired her knee-length dress with black high heels, and she opted to hear her hair in a loose up-do for the meeting

How Pope Francis threw out traditional rules in favor of 'relaxed' dress code US First Lady Melania Trump and her step-daughter Ivanka opted to wear black dresses and veils when they met with Pope Francis at the Vatican on Wednesday. While the First Lady's spokeswoman said their decision was based on Vatican protocol, the famously laid-back Pope Francis initiated a 'relaxed' approach to dress codes when he became Pope in 2013. Traditionally, women granted a private audience with the Pope had a strict dress code to adhere to. It was compulsory for women to wear black long dresses that fell below the knees. They were required to wear a matching black hat, veil or other head covering, as well as gloves. Queen Elizabeth wore a bright lilac ensemble when she met Pope Francis for the first time in 2014. On previous meetings with his predecessor, the Queen wore black Exceptions were made for Catholic queens and princesses who could adhere to the 'privilège du blanc' or 'privilege of the white' rule. Catholic women worldwide typically wore head coverings to church until the 1950s given the Virgin Mary wore a veil as a symbol of humility. The historically strict rules were essentially thrown out by Pope Francis when he was elected in 2013. Pope Francis adopted a 'no dress code' policy for private audiences. However, women are encouraged to still dress modestly when meeting with the Pope and are asked to cover their shoulders. The Duchess of Cornwall also broke with tradition when she wore gold to meet Pope Francis for the first time in April this year Queen Elizabeth wore the traditional black when she met with four previous Popes. Yet when she met Pope Francis for the first time in 2014, the Queen opted for a bright lilac ensemble. The Duchess of Cornwall also broke with tradition when she wore gold to meet Pope Francis for the first time in April this year. Camilla wore her head uncovered and donned a champagne silk dress and coat by Anna Valentine, one of her favorite designers. In contrast, Camilla wore a black dress and veil when meeting with Pope Francis' predecessor Pope Benedict XVI. Queen Letizia of Spain chose not to cover her head when she met with Pope Francis in 2014. She did however wear white, which is standard protocol for a Catholic queen making a papal visit. Queen Letizia of Spain chose not to cover her head when she met with Pope Francis in 2014. She did wear white though, which is standard protocol for a Catholic queen Advertisement

The red leather-bound booklets to some degree define his papacy and priorities.

Some of the main themes contained in them contrast sharply with President Donald Trump's policies and campaign promises, particularly concerning approaches to the environment and income inequality.

Trump's gift for Francis was wrapped in a big blue box.

The president said he was delivering 'books from Martin Luther King. I think you'll enjoy them. I hope you do'.

The White House said the set includes the five books King wrote in his lifetime. Each one is custom bound and the books are in a custom display case. A piece of granite from the Martin Luther King. Jr. Memorial in Washington is also included.

The White House says the gift 'honors Dr. King's hope, vision, and inspiration for generations to come'.

Trump also gave Francis a bronze sculpture. Named 'Rising Above,' the White House says it 'represents hope for a peaceful tomorrow.'

Francis and Trump shook hands during their private audience on Wednesday, during which Trump told him it was an 'honor' to meet him

The meeting could provide powerful imagery to Catholic voters back in the United States as well as the possibility for conflict between a president and a pope who have not often seen eye-to-eye

The two men's often opposite worldviews collided head-on early last year, when Francis was sharply critical of Trump's campaign pledge to build an impenetrable wall on the Mexican border and his declaration that the United States should turn away Muslim immigrants and refugees

The pontiff has been a vocal advocate for aiding refugees, particularly those fleeing the violence in Syria, deeming it both a 'moral imperative' and 'Christian duty' to help

Trump's meeting with Pope Francis, his third stop on a nine-day foreign tour due to end on Saturday, is part of his world tour of religions after meeting leaders of Muslim nations in Saudi Arabia and visiting holy sites in Jerusalem

But while his talks in Saudi Arabia and Israel were mostly friendly, the meeting between the head of the Roman Catholic Church and the thrice-married, blunt-spoken Trump could be a little more confrontational

Pope Francis exchanges gifts with Trump and his wife Melania during their private audience at the Vatican on Wednesday. The president said he was delivering 'books from Martin Luther King. I think you'll enjoy them. I hope you do'

Trump's meeting with Pope Francis, his third stop on a nine-day foreign tour due to end on Saturday, is part of his world tour of religions after meeting leaders of Muslim nations in Saudi Arabia and visiting holy sites in Jerusalem.

But while his talks in Saudi Arabia and Israel were mostly friendly, the meeting between the head of the Roman Catholic Church and the thrice-married, blunt-spoken Trump could be a little more confrontational.

The meeting could provide powerful imagery to Catholic voters back in the United States as well as the possibility for conflict between a president and a pope who have not often seen eye-to-eye.

The two men's often opposite worldviews collided head-on early last year, when Francis was sharply critical of Trump's campaign pledge to build an impenetrable wall on the Mexican border and his declaration that the United States should turn away Muslim immigrants and refugees.

'A person who thinks only about building walls, wherever they may be, and not building bridges, is not Christian,' Francis said then.

The pontiff has been a vocal advocate for aiding refugees, particularly those fleeing the violence in Syria, deeming it both a 'moral imperative' and 'Christian duty' to help.

Following the meeting with Pope Francis, Melania met patients at pediatric hospital Bambino Gesu at the Vatican on Wednesday morning

First Lady Melania hugged patients and took selfies as she met with sick children at the pediatric hospital Bambino Gesu

It appears that one student wrote Melania a welcome card, which reads, 'Welcome in Italia!' and 'I want to talk to you', surrounded by hearts

Trump has never been one to let an insult, perceived or real, go by without a response, and he made no exception for the world's best-known religious leader. He called Francis 'disgraceful' for doubting his faith.

And even the pontiff's congratulatory message sent to mark Trump's inauguration contained a sly reference to their disagreement, as the pope wrote that he hoped the United States' international stature would 'continue to be measured above all by its concern for the poor, the outcast and those in need.'



Trump at first did not plan to stop in Rome during his visit to Europe, which some in the Vatican saw as a snub. When he changed his mind, the Vatican squeezed him in at 8.30am on a Wednesday morning, an unusual day and an unusually early time.

Though both Trump and Francis are known for their unpredictability, papal visits with heads of state are carefully arranged bits of political and religious theater that follow a specific program, with little room for deviation or unwanted surprises.

Trump is the 13th president to visit the Vatican and, as part of his tour, he will view the Sistine Chapel.

In recent days, Francis and Trump have been in agreement on a need for Muslim leaders to do more against extremists in their own communities. But there are few other areas where their views align.

Francis holds his weekly audience with the general public on Wednesday at 10am in St Peter's Square.

After the meeting, Trump moves on to Brussels for a NATO summit, followed by the last stop on his trip, to a Group of Seven summit in Sicily.