Story highlights Palestinian president, Pope Francis meet at Vatican

Palestinians open state embassy in Vatican City

(CNN) Pope Francis and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas met Saturday to open a Palestinian embassy in Vatican City.

"We are very grateful about the role that the Holy See has played for a just and lasting peace in the Holy Land, and for having opened an embassy of Palestine in the Vatican for first time," Abbas said, according to the official Palestinian news agency WAFA

"We are proud to be the birthplace of Christianity and about having one of the oldest Christian communities in the world."

Pope Francis, right, meets with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas during a private audience at the Vatican.

Issa Kassissieh, the Palestinian ambassador to the Holy See, called the move "a significant achievement for the Palestinian people," WAFA said.

Israel has yet to respond to news of the opening.

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