The Avignon Papacy, a medieval period when the Catholic Church's centre of power shifted from Rome to southern France, has reportedly been referenced in a Pentagon with a senior US official and a Vatican diplomat.
The reference goes back to the 14th century and has attracted attention because it was reportedly mentioned during a private Pentagon meeting involving senior US official Elbridge Colby and Cardinal Christophe Pierre, the Vatican's former ambassador to the United States. Reports say the meeting was part of the escalating tensions between the Trump administration and the Vatican.
