Eric Schmidt, executive chairman of Google parent company Alphabet, had an unusual meeting on his calendar on Friday — a private sit-down with Pope Francis at the Vatican.
Neither Google nor the Vatican would comment on what the two discussed during the meeting, said to have lasted 15 minutes.
A video report from the TV news agency Rome Reports showed the pontiff shaking hands with Schmidt and Jared Cohen, director of Google Ideas. Schmidt said to Francis, “I want to work with you to make these points. … We will make it happen.” The pope responded, “Pray for me. Don’t forget.” It’s not known what the two were referring to.
Although Francis has admitted he doesn’t know how to work a computer and has called the Internet a “gift from God,” he is no stranger to Google products. The 79-year-old pontiff has hosted two Google Hangouts from the Vatican, including one in which he confessed he’s a “dinosaur” when it comes to technology.
Pope Francis is also a social media star, racking up more than 8.4 million followers on Twitter.
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