Story highlights While visiting Italy with a group of legislators and politicians this week, Spicer got an audience with the Pope

The former White House press secretary was excluded from meeting the Pope in May

Washington (CNN) Former White House press secretary Sean Spicer has finally crossed an important item off his personal bucket list: meeting Pope Francis.

While visiting Italy with a group of legislators and politicians this week, Spicer got an audience with the Pope and was seen snapping photos of His Holiness and shaking his hand, a source confirmed to CNN. The story was first reported by America Media , a Catholic publication.

A message left with Spicer was not immediately returned.

Spicer, a devout Catholic, was not part of a group of White House advisers who met the Pope earlier this year when they traveled with President Donald Trump in May to the Vatican -- a move widely viewed as a snub toward the then-press secretary.

JUST WATCHED Trump meets with the Pope, Spicer not invited Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Trump meets with the Pope, Spicer not invited 02:42

Spicer fumed to colleagues after being excluded from the President's meeting with Pope Francis, an administration official told CNN at the time. He was eagerly anticipating meeting the Pope, but discovered at the last minute that he was not on the shortlist of White House officials selected to join the President for the private audience.

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