Hollywood director Michael Moore has been pictured meeting Pope Francis outside the Vatican after jetting in to promote his new documentary on Donald Trump.

Moore, who rose to fame as the director of harrowing documentary Bowling for Columbine, was pictured warmly shaking hands with the pontiff on Wednesday afternoon.

Pictures showed Moore taking snaps on his phone and waiting in line to meet the Pope as he greeted adoring members of the public.

The director has previously demonstrated a love-hate relationship with the Church, throwing shade at Pope Francis on social media for some of his teachings.

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Michael Moore was pictured on the steps of St Peter's shaking hands and exchanging words with the pontiff

The film director waited among some of the Church's most senior cardinals to be granted an audience with Pope Francis on Wednesday

Moore was raised a Catholic, but is no longer a practicing member of the Church according to an interview he carried out with a magazine back in 2012.

He has also previously stated that he disagrees with the Church on issues of abortion and same-sex marriage, but believes there is a God.

In a seemingly sarcastic tweet in October 2016 Moore posted: 'Pope Francis has asked the United States, North Korea, Iran and Saudi Arabia to take one year off from killing people via execution.'

But prior to that, Moore had expressed confidence that Pope Francis would be a breath of fresh air for the Church after he was announced in 2013.

'Say Our Prayers Tonight That This Pope Is Going to Be a Different Pope' he said at the time.

Moore is currently in Rome to promote his recently released documentary 'Fahrenheit 11/9.'

Moore could be seen taking photos on his phone as the Pope arrived to give his weekly address

He was pictured next to the youngest child of civil rights leaders Martin Luther King Jr., Bernice Albertine King (right) as they met Pope Francis

The film is a dissection of the 2016 Presidential election and the subsequent Trump presidency and has grossed $6 million since its release last month.

Outspoken Trump-critic Moore has admitted that the film is unashamedly partisan and defended comparisons between the President and Hitler.

'People said to me you're comparing Trump to Hitler,' says the 64-year-old filmmaker, author, comedian and activist, in London for the documentary's UK premiere.

'I said, no, that is a scene where Hitler is speaking like Trump. I am comparing Hitler to Trump, not Trump to Hitler. If you don't understand the difference, I can't explain it.'

The Pope himself has also previously levelled criticism at Trump over his immigration policies.

In May last year Pope Francis said he supported statements by U.S. Catholic bishops who called the separation of children from their parents 'contrary to Catholic values' and 'immoral.'

'It's not easy, but populism is not the solution,' the Pope said.

Moore and Bernice Albertine King shared a joke after they met with the Pope on Wednesday